Have you gone to the Philippines and have the great chance to taste our famous Sisig? If not, you’ve probably lost 25 percent of experiencing the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tag line ;-)
Sisig is a Filipino dish made from parts of pig’s head and liver, usually seasoned with calamansi and chili peppers. A lot of sisig cook here in the country claims that the best sisig one can make is from the ‘Maskara’ or the skin of the pig’s face after you cook it as Lechon.
Sisig was first mentioned in a Kapampangan dictionary in the 17th Century meaning "to snack on something sour". It usually refers to fruits, often unripe or half-ripe, sometimes dipped in salt and vinegar. It also refers to a method of preparing fish and meat, especially pork, which is marinated in a sour liquid such as lemon juice or vinegar, then seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices.
The origins of the word dates back to 1732, and was recorded by Augustinian friar Diego Bergaño in his Vocabulary of the Kapampangan Language in Spanish and Dictionary of the Spanish Language in Kapampangan. Bergaño defines sisig as a "salad, including green papaya, or green guava eaten with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar." There is no mention of how long this cooking style has existed prior to the coming of the Spaniards during the Age of Conquest. The introduction of meat into the dish does not have an exact date as well.
Locals believe that the addition of a pig's head and innards in the dish came from "recycling" the excess meat from the commissaries of Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga. Pig heads were purchased cheap since they were not used in preparing meals for the U.S. Air Force personnel stationed there during the American Occupation of Luzon and Visayas.
Sisig is still cooked differently city to city, and sometimes family to family, in the Kapampangan province.
Every dish has its own creator. Lucia Cunanan of Angeles City has been credited with reinventing sisig by using a sizzling plate to make the dish crispier. The Philippine Department of Tourism has acknowledged that her "Aling Lucing's" restaurant had established Angeles City as the "Sisig Capital of the Philippines" in 1974. Cunanan's trademark sisig was developed in mid-1974 when she served a concoction of boiled and chopped pig ears and cheeks seasoned with vinegar, calamansi juice, chopped onions and chicken liver and served in hot plates. Today, varieties include sisig ala pizzailo, pork combination, green mussels or tahong, mixed seafood, ostrich sisig, crocodile sisig, spicy python, frog sisig and tokwa't baboy, among others.
According to Cunanan's recipe, preparing sisig comes in three phases: boiling, broiling and finally grilling. A pig's head is first boiled to remove hairs and to tenderize it. Portions of it are then chopped and grilled or broiled. Finally, coarsely chopped onions are added and served on a sizzling plate. Variations of sisig may add any of the following: eggs, ox brains, chicharon (pork cracklings), pork or chicken liver, and even mayonnaise. Recently, local chefs have experimented with ingredients other than pork such as chicken, squid, tuna, and tofu.
As time goes by, Sisig became popular across the country because of its distinct taste and aroma. As mentioned earlier, it varies from one cook to another.
If you have the liberty to roam the country, you can see that there’s Pork Sisig, Chicken Sisig and Bangus Sisig available throughout any food district.
One great location to ease your Sisig craving is within the busy streets of Quezon City, particularly Galas near public market. Take advantage of your Google map and search for Sisig, it will point you to Luzon Avenue, Galas, Quezon City. One food cart caters Pork Sisig, Tuna and Bangus Sisig and it’s a must-taste dish.
Seasoned with secret combination of special soy sauce, mayonnaise and other spices, Sisig by KNK really hits the mark.
With just sixty (60) pesos or close to a dollar per order, you surely can satisfy your cravings, though still, you just can’t get enough and really ask for more, for the road as they say.
Eat it with hot rice or partner it with your favorite brand of beer or better yet, eat it just as it is.
You can even try their Bangus ang Tuna Sisig ;-)
For more information, try to visit their Facebook Page or just simply drop by anytime from late afternoon onwards.
Cheerio!
Sisig is a Filipino dish made from parts of pig’s head and liver, usually seasoned with calamansi and chili peppers. A lot of sisig cook here in the country claims that the best sisig one can make is from the ‘Maskara’ or the skin of the pig’s face after you cook it as Lechon.
The origins of the word dates back to 1732, and was recorded by Augustinian friar Diego Bergaño in his Vocabulary of the Kapampangan Language in Spanish and Dictionary of the Spanish Language in Kapampangan. Bergaño defines sisig as a "salad, including green papaya, or green guava eaten with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar." There is no mention of how long this cooking style has existed prior to the coming of the Spaniards during the Age of Conquest. The introduction of meat into the dish does not have an exact date as well.
Sisig is still cooked differently city to city, and sometimes family to family, in the Kapampangan province.
Every dish has its own creator. Lucia Cunanan of Angeles City has been credited with reinventing sisig by using a sizzling plate to make the dish crispier. The Philippine Department of Tourism has acknowledged that her "Aling Lucing's" restaurant had established Angeles City as the "Sisig Capital of the Philippines" in 1974. Cunanan's trademark sisig was developed in mid-1974 when she served a concoction of boiled and chopped pig ears and cheeks seasoned with vinegar, calamansi juice, chopped onions and chicken liver and served in hot plates. Today, varieties include sisig ala pizzailo, pork combination, green mussels or tahong, mixed seafood, ostrich sisig, crocodile sisig, spicy python, frog sisig and tokwa't baboy, among others.
According to Cunanan's recipe, preparing sisig comes in three phases: boiling, broiling and finally grilling. A pig's head is first boiled to remove hairs and to tenderize it. Portions of it are then chopped and grilled or broiled. Finally, coarsely chopped onions are added and served on a sizzling plate. Variations of sisig may add any of the following: eggs, ox brains, chicharon (pork cracklings), pork or chicken liver, and even mayonnaise. Recently, local chefs have experimented with ingredients other than pork such as chicken, squid, tuna, and tofu.
As time goes by, Sisig became popular across the country because of its distinct taste and aroma. As mentioned earlier, it varies from one cook to another.
If you have the liberty to roam the country, you can see that there’s Pork Sisig, Chicken Sisig and Bangus Sisig available throughout any food district.
One great location to ease your Sisig craving is within the busy streets of Quezon City, particularly Galas near public market. Take advantage of your Google map and search for Sisig, it will point you to Luzon Avenue, Galas, Quezon City. One food cart caters Pork Sisig, Tuna and Bangus Sisig and it’s a must-taste dish.
Seasoned with secret combination of special soy sauce, mayonnaise and other spices, Sisig by KNK really hits the mark.
With just sixty (60) pesos or close to a dollar per order, you surely can satisfy your cravings, though still, you just can’t get enough and really ask for more, for the road as they say.
Eat it with hot rice or partner it with your favorite brand of beer or better yet, eat it just as it is.
You can even try their Bangus ang Tuna Sisig ;-)
For more information, try to visit their Facebook Page or just simply drop by anytime from late afternoon onwards.
Cheerio!
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