Must-try Filipino recipes this Holy Week

Albert Rosales

April 11, 2022

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  It is a common practice among Roman Catholics to abstain from eating meat such as pork, beef, or chicken during the entire Holy Week. So, here are some traditional Filipino recipes that you can enjoy while doing a reflection during Semana Santa:

  Holy Week Recipe # 1: Suman sa Lihiya

  

  Source: https://www.lutongbahayrecipe.com/snacks/suman-sa-lihiya/

  Ingredients:

  3 cups glutinous rice (malagkit)

  1 tbsp lye water (lihiya)

  4×5 inch banana leaves, cleaned and cut into smaller size

  8×11 inch banana leaves, cleaned and cut into bigger sized

  strings or any food-safe string

  brown sugar or latik for dipping

  Latik Sauce Ingredients:

  2 cups brown sugar 

  2 cups coconut milk (kakang gata)

  or 1 can of coconut milk (400ml)

  Cooking Procedure:

  – Add glutinous rice in a large bowl and pour in water to soak for at least 3 hours. Cover and set it aside.

  – After 3 hours, drain water then pour lye water. Stir it well until the color turns to yellowish.

  – Wilt the banana leaves into low fire for a few seconds to soften the leaves but prevent them from burning. Let it cool then wipe with a clean cloth.

  – Place the bigger leaf (topside down) on a flat surface then arrange the smaller leaf (topside up) in the center of the bigger leaf.

  – Add 3 tablespoons of rice mixture on a smaller leaf, fold the leaf to wrap the rice mixture.

  – Place 2 pieces of wrapped rice mixture on top of each one then tie with folded sides together using strings.

  – In a large pot, arrange the wrapped rice mixture then pour enough water to soak the wrapped rice mixture.

  – Let it boil over medium, and adjust it to low heat for at least 1 1/2 hours or until done.

  – Unwrap then transfer to a serving plate.

  To make Latik Sauce:

  – In a saucepan pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Let it simmer over low heat. Add-in brown sugar and stir continuously, until sugar is well dissolved and sauce thickens. Add more sugar if needed. Turn off heat.

  Holy Week Recipe # 2: Lumpiang Sariwa

  

  Source: https://panlasangpinoy.com/asian-vegetable-dish-fresh-spring-roll-lumpiang-sariwa-recipe/

  Ingredients

  Filling ingredients

  2 cups sweet potato cubed

  2 tbsp fish sauce patis

  1 lb cabbage shredded

  1 1/2 cup carrots julienned

  ½ cup water

  ½ cup peanuts crushed

  6 pieces Lettuce leaves

  1/2 lb pork thinly sliced

  1 pack extra firm tofu sliced in strips

  1 cup shrimp shelled and deveined

  2 cups string beans baguio beans, chopped

  1 medium sized onions chopped

  1/2 cup cilantro chopped

  3 tbsp garlic minced

  1 pork cube

  Wrapper ingredients

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  2 pieces of raw eggs

  2 tbsp cooking oil

  1/2 tsp salt

  1 1/2 cups milk

  Sauce Ingredients

  1 tbsp soy sauce

  1/2 cup brown sugar

  2 cups water

  1/2 pork cube

  1 tbsp garlic minced

  2 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 4 tbsp water

  Cooking procedure:

  – Pour-in the cooking oil then sauté the garlic and onions. Add the pork and cook until the color turns light brown. Put the pork cube and add 1/2 cup water then simmer until pork is tender. Add the shrimps and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add the tofu and cook for a few minutes. Put the cilantro, carrots, and string beans then mix with the other ingredients. Add the cabbage and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the fish sauce and mix.

  – Make the wrapper by cracking the eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat. Add the milk while beating. Put in the salt and all-purpose flour then mix thoroughly. Add the vegetable oil and mix well. Turn the stove on to medium heat and put the non-stick pan in place. Spray the pan with oil or grease with butter. Pour-in the wrapper mixture and tilt the pan to distribute the liquid evenly. Cook until the top part of the mixture is dry. Remove the cooked mixture and place in a flat plate.

  – Bring to a boil. Add the brown sugar and pork cubes. Put some salt and soy sauce then mix well. Dilute the cornstarch in water and pour in the saucepan. Cook until the sauce becomes thick.

  – Place the wrapper in a plate then place a lettuce leaf in the middle top part of the wrapper. Spoon the filling and place in the middle of the wrapper. Close the wrapper by folding the lower part first then roll the sides until the filling is sealed.

  – Pour the sauce over the Lumpiang Sariwa and garnish with crushed peanuts and minced garlic.

  Holy Week Recipe # 3: Laswa

  

  Source: https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/laswa/

  Ingredients

  5 to 6 cups water

  1 clove garlic peeled and pounded

  1/2 pound head on shrimps tendrils trimmed

  1/2 small calabasa peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

  1 bunch sitaw ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths

  2 medium eggplant stems trimmed and cut in a bias into 1-inch chunks

  2 medium ampalaya seeded and cut into 1/2 inch thick

  8 to 10 pieces okra ends trimmed and cut in a bias into halves

  2 medium patola peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds

  Salt and pepper

  Cooking Procedure:

  – In a pot over medium heat, combine water, onions and garlic and bring to a boil. Add shrimps and cook until they begin to change color.

  – Add calabasa and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until half-done. Then put the long beans and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant, ampalaya and okra and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add patola and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender yet crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

  – Serve hot.

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