Kare-kare

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables, stewed oxtail, beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi lime juice. Any Filipino fiesta, particularly in the Tagalog region, is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat.

Oxtail, with the skin on and cut into 2-inch lengths, and ox tripe are boiled until tender. Sometimes pieces of ox feet or shins are added. In some varieties, other types of meat are used, such as pork or (rarely) chicken. (There is an instance of one version omitting the meat altogether and using vegetables) When the meat is tender, the soup becomes glutinous and to this is added ground roasted peanuts (or peanut butter), ground roasted glutinous rice to make the soup thicker. Atsuete (annatto) is added to give color. The basic vegetables for kare-kare include young banana flower bud or "heart" (puso ng saging), eggplant, string beans, and Chinese cabbage (pechay). Kare-kare is often served hot with special bagoong alamang (sauteed salted shrimp paste).

Pampanga Sisig

Sisig is a Kapampangan term which means "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.

Sisig as is popularly known today is actually sizzling sisig, a Philippine dish made from parts of pig’s head and usually seasoned with kalamansi or chili peppers.

The dish is said to have originated from locals who bought unused pig heads from the commissaries of nearby Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga. Pig heads were cheaply purchased since they were not used in preparing meals for the U.S. Air Force personnel stationed there. An alternate explanation of its origin is that it is but an innovation on an older recipe, which is pork ears and jowl, boiled, chopped then marinated.

The pig's head is first boiled to remove hairs and to tenderize it. Portions of it are then chopped and grilled or broiled. Finally, it is fried with onions 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 even tofu.

Batangas Lomi

Lomi or Pancit Lomi is a Filipino dish made with a variety of thick fresh egg noodles of about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Because of its popularity at least in the eastern part of Batangas, there are as many styles of cooking lomi as there are eateries, panciterias or restaurants offering the dish. Variations in recipes and quality are therefore very common.

Lomi haus or lomian, panciteria, eatery, carinderia, restaurant or their combination (e.g. lomi haus and eatery) are the most common terms used in Batangas to refer to a food establishement where lomi is served or eaten.

A lomi haus specializes primarily with lomi and other pancit dishes made of fresh egg noodles called mike. But oftentimes, it may also serve other pancit dishes such as pancit guisado, bihon, mike-bihon, chami, pancit canton, sotanghon and others if available.

A panciteria has a more extensive menu of pancit dishes. It serves lomi and definitely other pancit dishes such as pancit guisado, bihon, mike-bihon, chami, pancit canton, sotanghon and others. Rice meals, viands and other made-to-order dishes may also be served here if available.

An eatery or carinderia or restaurant principally serves rice meals, viands and other made-to-order dishes that may or may not include lomi. More often than not, however, if your in eastern Batangas lomi will always be included in the menu.

Other names used, though infrequently, for food establishments where lomi may be served are luncheonette and fast food center.