3. Halo-halo

Halo-halo without ice cream.

Source: dessertcomesfirst.blogspot.com

Halo-halo with ice cream.

Source: pinoyurbanblog.com


Another version of halo-halo.

Source: www.podcastdirectory.com

It is a popular dessert in Philippine. It is a mixture of shaved ice, (fresh or condensed) milk, sugar, sweet beans, and fruits. Some people may include ice cream at the top of this dessert.

2. Dinengdeng / inabraw

Dinengdeng.

Source: www.seasite.niu.edu

This is a bugguong or bagoong soup-based dish. It is an Ilocanos cuisine. This dish contains many vegetables. It is also popular to add fried fish or other meats to the dish.

1. Adobo

Chicken and pork adobo.

Source: lolaskitchen.blogspot.com

This is basically marinated or seasoned meat, typically pork and/or chicken, in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. This is a very common packed food for mountaineers and travelers due to its relatively longer shelf life. There are 2 main flavors which are sweet flavor (by adding sugar, orange juice, or pineapple juice) and spicy flavor (by adding more chili peppers).

Some people may add coconut milk into adobo. There is also Chinese-Filipino version of adobo with some Chinese ingredients such as star anise, rock sugar, and rice wine added into it. There is also Batangas version of beef adobo with some Mexican ingredients. There is another dried version of adobo called pinatuyo which is similar to the Mexican pork dish called carnitas.

FILIPINO CUISINE

Cuisine of Philippine is strongly influenced by Malay, Chinese, Indian, Spanish, Mexican, and American cuisines. The popular meats used are pork and chicken.

1. Bi cha

Com tam bi cha.

Source: banhmiso1.com

This is Cambodian fried rice with strong flavoring. There are varieties of bi cha and most of them are greatly influenced by Chinese style of cooking. One of the examples is the com tam bi cha or broken rice with shredded pork which is served over rice with egg meat cake.

KHMER CUISINE

Cuisine of Cambodia is said to be very similar to its neighbor countries in Southeast Asia especially Thailand and Vietnam. Other than that, there are influences from China and India to this cuisine. The food in Cambodia tastes similar to Thai cuisine. Fish sauce is widely used in preparing the dishes and kari or curry dishes are very popular in Cambodia.

2. Laphet / lephet

Laphet.

Source: www.myanmartravelinformation.com

This is a popular snack in Myanmar. It is pickled tea leaves salad with a dash of oil. Other than tea leaves, other main ingredients are including sesame seeds, fried garlic, and roasted peanuts.

1. Mohinga

Mohinga.

Source: the.honoluluadvertiser.com

It is a Myanmar national dish which contains rice vermicelli in fish soup. It is mainly served as breakfast. There are varieties of mohinga in various regions of Myanmar. The main ingredients of this dish are chickpea flour, crushed toasted rice, garlic, onions, lemon grass, banana tree stem, ginger, fish paste, fish sauce, and catfish. It is garnished with fish sauce, lime, crispy fried onions, coriander, spring onions, and crushed dried chilies. Other add-ons include urad dal, gourd, boiled egg, and fried fish cake.

BURMESE CUISINE

Burmese cuisine in Myanmar has been influenced by cuisines from Chinese, India, and Thailand. Use of seafood is more prevalent along coastal cities while meat and poultry are more commonly used in inland cities. Burmese salads are also very popular in Myanmar.

2. Tam mak hung (Lao) / som tam (Thai)

Som tam.

Source: www.wired2theworld.com

This is a spicy green papaya salad which is very popular in Laos and Thailand. The main ingredients are unripe papaya which has been seasoned and pounded to a soft state, palm sugar, chili, garlic, lime, and fish sauce. Yardlong beans and tomatoes are optional add-ons to the dish. It also can be served with pork rinds, raw water spinach, raw winged beans, or raw cabbage. It is often paired with gai yang or grilled chicken in Thailand. Lao version is usually saltier while Thai version is usually sweeter.

There are few variations of this dish including tam ma-muang (mango version) and tam mak teng (cucumber version).

1. Laap / laab / larb

Laap.

Source: www.thaitable.com

This is a national dish for Laos and is very popular in Northeast Thailand too. It is basically a salad with a spicy mixture of marinated meat that is sometimes raw, vegetables, herbs, and spices. The meats commonly used are chicken, beef, duck, turkey, pork, and fish. It is flavored with fish sauce and lime. In Thailand, other local condiments for flavor and seasoning are more commonly used. This dish is usually served with sticky rice.

LAO CUISINE

Lao ethnic group exists in Laos and Isaan of Northeast Thailand. The main ingredients in most dishes of Lao are galangal and fish sauce. The Lao dishes are not that popular as compared to other ethnics’ dishes. Other than Lao cuisine, you may find that French cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine are very popular in Laos.

2. Pho

Pho bo (beef pho).

Source: thinkthinkthink.wordpress.com

It is a type of noodle soups which is a very well known Vietnamese dish. The broth is rich and clear which is cooked by boiling bones and different herbs for a long period of time.

A close look on pho ga (chicken pho).

Source: noodleson.com

There are varieties of pho with different selections of meats, such as beef (pho bo) and chicken (pho ga), along with beef balls. It includes thin or wide white rice noodle, spring onion, slices beef, and the broth. It is usually garnished with bean sprouts, lime wedges, onions, and other herbs. Other add-ons include tendon, tripe, meatballs, chicken leg, chicken breast, and chicken organs are also available. Sauces like hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and sriracha or the Thai hot sauce are served for this dish.

1. Bun bo hue

Bun bo hue.

Source: randomfoodie.blogspot.com

It is a lemon grass flavored and spicy beef noodle soup originated from the Royal Hue City of Central Vietnam. The rice noodle used is very thick as compared to pho which I’ll introduce after this dish. The broth is made from cooking beef bones for a long period of time and large varieties of spices which are different from pho’s broth. Shrimp paste is also added into the broth. Overall, it tastes hotter than pho.

It is commonly served with mint leaves, bean sprouts, lime wedges, lettuce or thinly sliced banana blossom or sliced purple cabbage, and cilantro sprigs. It usually includes thin slices of marinated beef shank, chunks of well-cooked oxtails, and pig’s knuckles. In addition, cubes of beef blood can also be included in this dish.

VIETNAMESE CUISINE

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its use of fish sauce, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce or Chinese barbecue sauce. Like other ethnics’ cuisines, many vegetables, herbs, and spices are used in Vietnamese cuisine including lemon grass and lime. The cuisine is also largely influenced by other cultures especially Chinese culture. Vietnamese are known for their huge variety of noodle soups and spring and summer rolls (as introduced in Chinese-inspired cuisine). Vietnamese cuisine is now widely available in many countries around the world.

3. Thai fried rice / khao pad (Thai)

It is similar to the Chinese fried rice. However, it uses jasmine rice instead of regular long-grain rice. Chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, and crab are types of meat used in Thai fried rice. Egg, onions, cilantro, and fried garlic are usually mixed in the dish. Cucumber slices, tomato slices, sprigs of green onion, and lettuce leaf are served as garnishes to the dish.

Thai fried rice.

Source: www.vegsource.com

The most famous version of Thai fried rice is the pineapple fried rice which is also called khao pad sap ba rot in Thai. Chicken, pork, or shrimp is more commonly used. While omitting garnishes and some ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and cilantro, curry powder and pineapple are added into the dish.

Pineapple Thai fried rice.

Source: thaifood.about.com

2. Pad thai

It is basically a stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind, red chili pepper, served with bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, or tofu. It is garnished with lime, crushed peanuts, and coriander. This dish is similar to Chinese char kway teow.

There are 2 versions of pad thai. In the streets of Thailand, pad thai sold is relatively dry and light; while in the restaurants in Western countries, it has a heavier taste.

Shrimp pad thai.

Source: www.thaiindochine.com

Tofu pad thai.

Source: the.honoluluadvertiser.com

1. Tom yum / tom yam

Famous tom yum goong.

Source: www.panix.com

It is a type of soups originated from Thailand and it is a very famous dish. You can easily find this dish in many Southeast Asia countries where hawkers of other ethnics, especially Malays, are good in preparing this dish. Its uniqueness is of its distinct hot and sour flavors with fragrant herbs and ingredients like lemon grass, lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind, mushrooms (straw or oyster mushrooms), chilies, coriander leaves, and so on.

There are various types of tom yum including tom yum goong (prawn), tom yum gai (chicken), tom yum pla (fish), or tom yum talay or tom yum po tak (mixed seafood). There are also other less popular variety of tom yum like tom yum nam khon which broth is added with coconut milk and tom kha which is dominated by galangal flavor.

THAI CUISINE

Thai cuisine is known for its balance of 5 fundamental flavors, including spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and/or bitter, in each dish or overall meal. Thai cuisine is also influenced by other cultures but successfully maintain its own uniqueness. It actually influenced by Chinese stir-fried and Indian curry. It is known for its use of various spices and herbs in the dish. Thai cuisine is not only popular in Thailand. It is also popular in Southeast Asia region and around the world.

4. Roti canai (Malaysia) / roti prata (Singapore) / paratha (India) / palata (Myanmar)

Traditional roti canai.

Source: idrus.blogspot.com

It is a breakfast or supper originated from India. It is a pancake made of dough composed fat, egg, flour, and water. It is traditionally served with a blob of butter spread, pickles and yoghurt, or dal or thick spicy curries of meat or vegetables. It is served with dal, sugar, or condensed milk in Southeast Asia countries. The difference between the Indian version and the Southeast Asian version is that the paratha is generally thinner and larger in India.

New versions of paratha have been devised to suit the more adventurous tastes of more affluent Malaysians and Singaporeans including roti telur (egg version), roti bawang (onion version), roti bom (thicker version), roti planta (margarine version), roti pisang (banana version), roti tisu (thinner and flakier cone shape version), and roti sardine. Generally, most of the plain roti are round while those with fillings are square after being folded. Other varieties of roti including chocolate, cheese, durian, and garlic versions are more commonly found in Singapore than in Malaysia.

Roti tisu (left) vs roti bom.

Source: ms.wikipedia.org / www.faces.com.my

Roti KLCC in Malaysia which is a new version of roti tisu.

Source: www.sinar.fm