The Noche Buena and Media Noche are the most eagerly anticipated occasion among the numerous Christmas and New Year customs that Filipinos observe during the holiday season, in fact, even as condo celebrations. Many families make their typical Noche Buena and Media Noche fare, which consists of beloved Pinoy recipe that evokes happy childhood memories and classic comfort food. The feast is typically enjoyed at home, whether it is in your own condo living space by the entire family or occasionally even distant relatives for a fun-filled evening.
We are known to have a sizable feast made up of several Pinoy recipes served in every home. Everyone goes all out for this event, which is undoubtedly the most extravagant for Filipinos outside of New Year's Eve. Because Filipinos are known for having long celebrations, it is best to keep plenty of food on hand and think as early of dinner ideas Pinoy. One of the best things we're anticipating this season is preparing for major family reunions, Holiday parties, and most significantly, Christmas and New Year's cuisine. We are all aware of how large Filipino families can be and how much they adore the traditional Filipino dishes offered on important occasions. We have put together a collection of our favorite dishes that will turn your Noche Buena and Media Noche table delicious and festive with just a few days till Christmas and New Year.
Here are the three best Filipino foods for Noche Buena and their recipes:
Kaldereta
One of the best Filipino foods that should be on the top of the list is Kaldereta. Filipinos enjoy eating kaldereta on a weekly basis, and it is a meal that is offered frequently during the holidays. Even still, celebrations are seen incomplete without this special dish. The meal is traditionally made with goat meat, but currently, beef or pork are more frequently used. The chopped beef is simmered in a stew of tomato or salsa sauce, a can of the liver spread, and crushed peppers together with chopped vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and green or red peppers. This produces this stunning, rich sauce that is red in color and gives the food its wonderful flavor.
See recipe: https://www.panlasangpinoyrecipes.com/pork-kaldereta-recipe/
Filipino Style Spaghetti
Home or condo celebrations won't be complete without having spaghetti on their table. But this is not just another Italian spaghetti dish that the Filipinos not only adapted but also customized and made their own. For Italians or those who adore Italian spaghetti, the spaghetti made in the Philippines may not taste like you expect it to be. This is Filipino-style spaghetti which is very sugary and sweet, yet Filipinos love it, and many even prefer it over the traditional Italian spaghetti recipe. Slices of sausage are added to the Filipino-style spaghetti to further accentuate its Filipinos.
See recipe: https://kitchenangel.com.ph/recipes/view_recipe/sweet-style-spaghetti
Lumpiang Shanghai
Dinner Ideas Pinoy Holiday celebration would be absolute with Lumpiang Shanghai! We took lumpiang shanghai as a food influenced to us by the Chinese and, over time entirely altered the recipe to suit our tastes. It makes a wonderful Christmas Eve finger meal, especially when you're mingling with family you haven't seen in a while. Typically, minced or ground beef and a range of chopped veggies are used to make it. The components are combined, wrapped into a lumpia wrapper, and deep-fried till nice and crispy.
See recipe: https://www.panlasangpinoyrecipes.com/lumpiang-shanghai-recipe/
Right after Christmas, the New Year will be here, the next celebration we need to prepare for, and what best option to mark the occasion than with joy and a huge feast that is quite typical of the Filipino culture. We eagerly anticipate Media Noche, or New Year's Eve, and enjoy a variety of festive Filipino delicacies with our loved ones. For the first celebration of the year, platters of food will be placed on the tables together with fruits for the new year or known as a basket of lucky round fruits, because it is said to bring wealth for the upcoming years, the more food on the table, the better.
Here are the three best Filipino foods for Media Noche and their recipes:
Crispy Pata
Another item on this checklist that would be missing from a celebration feast. Whole pork legs from leftover lechon are traditionally served as crispy pata. However, nowadays, for exceptional holiday celebrations like a Media Noche feast, the complete hog leg can be purchased at the marketplace and freshly prepared at home. The entire hog leg will be first boiled for several hours in boiling with salts, dried, spiced, and then deep-fried. Pork is produced at the end, and it is wonderful with crisp skin and soft meat.
See recipe: https://www.pinoyrecipe.net/crispy-pata-recipe-learn-how-to-cook-crispy-pata/
Rellenong Manok
There's this strange myth that claims servings of chicken or fish just at Media Noche feast will bring bad fortune. However, it's not known where it originated. Fortunately, this superstition is gradually dying down, and a growing number of homes are offering chicken and fish meals on New Year's Eve. For such an occasion, the recipe for rellenong manok is ideal. The chicken is filled with delectable seasonings, and when it has been cooked, the chicken releases enticing tastes.
See recipe: https://www.yummy.ph/recipe/rellenong-manok-recipe
Pansit Palabok
Pork palabok is the last item on the list. This dish's vibrant powder and an assortment of toppings absolutely scream New Year Celebration. Another dish with Chinese influences that the Filipinos swiftly incorporated into their own cuisine. This recipe, which uses rice noodles, is fairly light on the belly but is easily made up for by the dish's numerous toppings. Its sauce's vibrant orange hue originates from atsuete seeds.
See recipe: https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/pancit-palabok/
Besides having polka-dotted attire on New Year's Eve, your Media Noche wouldn't be complete without round fruits for New Year. The belief among Filipinos is that placing 12 (or occasionally 13) circular fruit on the buffet will bring them home good fortune, wealth, and wellness for the whole year. The number 12 is thought to represent all 12 months in a year, while a round form is said to represent coins or money. Here are some circle fruits you can offer and eat with your family at your midnight feast to continue the custom.
Here are some of the fruits you must have for Media Noche;
- Apples
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Lanzones
- Watermelon
- Dragon Fruit
- Cinturis
- Kiat Kiat
- Longan
- Kiwi
- Pineapple
- Chico
If not all of these meals, you would definitely have them on your holiday table if you're Filipino, have Filipino ancestry, or simply appreciate enjoying and spending Christmas and New Years' Eve the Pinoy way. The outbreak may have affected our way of life, but it won't prevent the holiday season. It shouldn't prevent us from celebrating the holidays and choosing and attempting delightful Holiday Meals!
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