You’ve probably seen or heard about them, perhaps found them around your backyards. I listed down the common vegetable that can be found on Filipino Backyards.
Upo or Bottle Gourd
Upo is a vine grown for its fruit. the young fruit of this plant used as a vegetable; the bottle gourd; the elongated variety of calabash. They usually cooked it in gisa or stir-fry
Monggo or Mung beans
These small legumes are grown widely in the Philippines. Monggo is usually cooked into a stew or soup with other vegetables and kind of meat. Also, Filipino believe in monggo every friday. Mung beans is the best dish, they add tofu and ampalaya leaves for better taste.
Malunggay or Moringa
As I mention on my last post Malunggay is a common vegetable that can be found on every backyard. Malunggay is so nutritious, they used to put it on a dish called "Tinola" and recently they invent to make a malunggay pandesal.
Ampalaya or Bitter Melon
Ampalaya is one of the healthiest vegetables in the worlds. Don’t judge it by its rough appearance or its bitter taste. Although notable for its bitter taste, ampalaya works wonders for being who have diabetes.
Kamote or Sweet Potatoes
Normally used both in savory and sweet dishes, sweet potatoes have a distinct sweetness that is most commonly used in desserts. Fried, baked or mixed in with pastry or cake, kamote is known for its orange hue. Kamotecue is the common and one of the favorite Filipino dessert, just simply put kamote on a stick then add some sugar, fried it and wait until it turns to golden brown.
Pechay or Chinese cabbage
This leafy green vegetable is widely used in Asian dishes. It has smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a bunch of leaves similar to mustard or celery. Best cooked when stir-fried, steamed, boiled or stuffed. Pechay is also found in hot pots or shabu-shabu. It may taste a bit bitter but the crunchiness of the vegetable is admirable. Also it usually put in a dish called "pesang bangus" or milk fish stewed which has other ingredient of such as potato, green cabbage, ginger, salt and pepper to taste.
Kangkong or Water Spinach
Kangkong is a tropical plant that grows where there is a lot of water. The stem and the leaves are cooked and eaten, normally steamed and stir-fried. People in provincial usually making adobong kangkong dish.
Puso ng saging or Banana Blossom
This heart-shaped floret is the blossom of the banana tree. It has a hard, leafy texture that softens when cooked, and is typically added in salads, soups, and can also be stir-fried. It sort of tastes like bamboo shoots, only softer.
Gabi or Taro
Gabi is one of the major root crops in the Philippines. It is also an alternative to meat by some vegetarians. Gabi can be cooked either sweet or savory, commonly boiled.
Mustasa or Crispy Mustard
Also known as a leaf mustard, mustasa is also one of the most nutritious vegetables there is. Mostly used in salads and soups, mustasa is the source of the condiment mustard. They can also be sometimes added in shakes. The leaves are oblong-obovate, the oil is also used. Mustasa an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B.
Singkamas or Jicama
Singkamas is delicious, sweet tasting root vegetable that is popular as a summer snack in the Philippines. Commonly found along with green mango vendors are beside the streets, singkamas is best eaten raw or combined with bagoong or salts.
Sayote or Chayote
The most common vegetable found in backyards, wrapped around a tree or scatters on some bushes. Sayote belongs to the same family as melons, squash, and cucumbers. Sayote is usually steamed, stir-fried or boiled, or also can put in dish called "Tinola" alternative for green papaya.
Alugbati or Malabar Spinach
A different type of spinach, Alugbati has purple stems and green leaves. Mostly uses in soups, salads, and stews. It has dark green leaves similar to regular spinach. It normally grows on a vine rather than bush pattern and has a slightly more fibrous texture than regular spinach. It is a good source of a number of essential nutrients, including iron.
Sigarilyas or Winged beans
A tropical legume plant commonly used by Filipinos in many dishes, sigarilyas or winged beans can be sauteed or added to some dishes. It grows abundantly in the hot, humid equatorial countries of Southeast Asia.
Sitaw or String Beans
Sitaw is commonly seen in local markets, and is a staple ingredient in the country. Long and thin, sitaw is normally cut into bite sized pieces before cooked. They are then added to some stews, stir-fries and soups. Sitaw is a good source of copper, vitamin B1, chromium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, choline, vitamin A.
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