Are you new to Filipino cuisine but unsure where to start? Melissa Harrison, food enthusiast at BuzzFeed, has published a good resource to get inspired: 24 Delicious Filipino Foods You Need In Your Life. She includes an easy recipe for Biko, a delicious sweet, sticky-rice dessert, to more elaborate and complex entrées such as Kaldareta, a hearty meat and vegetable stew.
For those eager to dive in, try this delicious chicken dish great for an intimate dinner party or family meal:
Chicken Afritada with Pineapple for 4
Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time: 50 mins. Total Time: 1 hrs. 10 mins
Ingredients
2 lb. (900g) chicken drumsticks, skin on
3-4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 14 oz. (400g) can tomato puree
1 8 oz. (225g) can pineapple chunks, reserve syrup, drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup green peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
Instructions
In a big pan over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of oil. Add potatoes and cook for about 1 minute. Then add carrot and cook for about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Remove all vegetables from pan and drain on paper towels.
Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add chicken and brown it slightly. Add the tomato puree, pineapple syrup, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is almost tender. Stir occasionally.
Add potatoes, yellow bell pepper, carrots, and pineapple chunks and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked. Add the green peas, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve hot. Enjoy!