These Filipino recipes are three of the most well known squid recipes in our country. 

Pancit Malabon

The Pancit Malabon, which was initially called the “Pancit Bame”, is a dish consisting of oysters, squids, shrimps, smoked fish, chicharon and crab pinchers. It is usually plated over a fat rice noodles and Its golden sauce is  made from minced onions and garlic, black pepper and fish sauce. Apparently, the noodles are made up off 30% flour and the other 70% is composed rice. It is somewhat similar to pancit palabok but what makes it different is its seafood toppings. In the 1900s the name is changed however to “Pancit Malabon” which states where the dish was originated. The reason behind the seafood toppings that made it special is because of the location of Malabon City, which is a coastal area and where major fish markets reside. This dish shows the fresh and abundant resources that we have in our country and it represents the city of Malabon giving it a National flavor written all over it. 

Calamares

Known as Calamari to non-Filipinos, This Italian originated fried squid dish has sailed the Mediterranean towards North America and many other parts of the globe as an appetizer for the reluctant original tasters as time went by. So what makes our version so different? Calamares is not just mere finger food that goes well with alcoholic drinks as a commoner may believe. The big difference comes from the sauce we dipped it in. When other countries use tomato based sauces for Calamari. Calamares uses good old vinegar or toyo sauce to add originality to its taste, Making it an unorthodox way of eating Calamari to the eyes of foreigners and encourages them to try something new for a change.

Adobong Pusit

This wildcard of a recipe originated 500 hundred years ago during the Spanish Colonial era. It is usually cooked with the ingredients of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, onions & tomatoes, it’s a staple meal in the homes of many Filipinos nowadays and is usually served with steamed rice. It’s also a very adaptable dish since, according to sources, that anyone can make this dish to be their own variation such as being caramelized to being cooked until it’s dry and crispy while also allowing the cook to choose any size of squid that they want to cook this recipe for, making it a symbol of a Filipino’s creativeness within the kitchen and our pride as nation.

These dishes may sound weird or uncommon but these dishes are some of the best dishes served here in our country! It has that genuine Filipino taste that makes you feel that bursting Filipino pride! So what are you waiting for? KAINAN NA!!!!


Sources: 

Ifood.TV's Adobong Pusit
Pancit Ng Taga Malabon's About Pancit ng Taga Malabon
Panlasang Pinoy's Calamares Recipe 
Salon's "The origin of an appetizer: A look at the creation of calamari"