Filipino Food

Filipino Food

Header product — groups all Filipino dishes. Log sales here for quick entry or against a specific dish for finer tracking.

Lechon (roast pork)

Whole or half spit-roasted pork with crispy crackling. The centrepiece of Filipino celebrations. Requires spit roaster — significant equipment investment.

Pork adobo with rice

Pork slow-braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves. Rich, tangy, and deeply savoury. Contains soy and gluten.

Chicken adobo with rice

Chicken braised in vinegar and soy sauce. Lighter than pork adobo. Contains soy and gluten.

Lumpia (fried spring rolls)

Crispy fried rolls filled with pork, vegetables, and glass noodles. Contains gluten. Served with sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Sinigang (tamarind soup)

Sour tamarind broth with pork or prawns and vegetables. Gluten-free. Contains fish sauce.

Pancit canton (stir-fried noodles)

Egg noodles stir-fried with pork, chicken, vegetables, and soy sauce. Contains gluten and egg.

Bicol express

Pork belly cooked in coconut milk, chilli, and shrimp paste. Spicy and rich. Contains crustacean allergen.

Sisig

Sizzling chopped pork face and ears with chilli, calamansi, and egg. Served on a sizzling plate. Contains egg.

Ensaymada

Soft brioche-style bun topped with butter, sugar, and grated cheese. Contains gluten, dairy, and egg.

Halo-halo

Shaved ice dessert with mixed beans, jellies, sweet potato, banana, coconut, leche flan, ube ice cream, and condensed milk. Contains dairy and coconut.

Calamansi juice

Fresh Filipino lime juice with sugar and water. Refreshing and naturally vegan.

Pork belly (for adobo, sisig, and bicol express)

Skin-on for adobo — adds richness.

Pork shoulder (for lechon and adobo)

For slow-roasting.

Whole pork (for lechon)

Order from butcher — typically 15–20kg. Requires spit roaster.

Chicken pieces (bone-in)

For chicken adobo.

Prawns (peeled and deveined)

For sinigang — crustacean allergen.

Minced pork (for lumpia filling)

Eggs

For pancit, sisig, and ensaymada.

Steamed jasmine rice

Cook fresh — keep in rice cooker.

Lumpia wrappers (spring roll wrappers)

Contains gluten — must declare.

Egg noodles (canton noodles)

For pancit canton — contains gluten and egg.

Glass noodles (sotanghon)

For lumpia filling — gluten-free.

Ensaymada dough (bought or house-made)

Contains gluten, dairy, and egg.

Soy sauce

Contains gluten — must declare.

Fish sauce (patis)

Fish allergen — used throughout Filipino cooking.

Shrimp paste (bagoong)

Crustacean allergen — for bicol express and as condiment.

White cane vinegar

For adobo — distinctly Filipino.

Oyster sauce

Contains gluten and molluscs.

Sweet chilli sauce

For lumpia dipping.

Banana ketchup

Uniquely Filipino — sweet tomato-style sauce made from banana.

Garlic (large quantities)

Filipino cooking uses generous amounts.

Onions

Bay leaves (fresh or dried)

Essential for adobo.

Black peppercorns (whole)

Tamarind paste or powder

For sinigang souring base.

Coconut milk (canned)

For bicol express — coconut tree nut allergen.

Long green chillies

For bicol express and garnish.

Bird eye chillies (siling labuyo)

Intensely hot — for sisig and condiment.

Calamansi (Filipino lime) or regular lime

Spring onions

Carrots

Cabbage

Green beans

Bok choy or water spinach (kangkong)

For sinigang vegetables.

Radish (labanos)

For sinigang.

Shaved ice (machine required)

Base of halo-halo.

Sweetened red beans (canned)

For halo-halo.

Sweetened chickpeas (canned)

Nata de coco (coconut gel)

Kaong (sugar palm fruit)

Sweetened banana (saba variety)

Leche flan (Filipino custard)

Contains egg and dairy — make in advance.

Ube (purple yam) ice cream

Contains dairy. Ube is the signature Filipino flavour.

Condensed milk (for halo-halo)

Dairy allergen.

Butter (for ensaymada topping)

Dairy allergen.

Caster sugar (for ensaymada topping)

Edam or cheddar cheese (grated, for ensaymada)

Dairy allergen.

Vegetable oil

Spit roaster (for lechon)

Gas or charcoal — significant investment. Essential for whole pig lechon. Check market rules for open flame.

LPG burner and large wok or kawali

For adobo, pancit, and sisig.

LPG bottles and regulator

Commercial deep fryer

For lumpia.

Sizzling plates and wooden boards

For sisig — must be preheated before service.

Rice cooker (large commercial)

Bain-marie / food warmer (multiple bays)

For adobo, sinigang, and pancit.

Shaved ice machine

For halo-halo — electric. Draws significant power.

Ice cream freezer

For ube ice cream — below -18°C.

Large stock pots

For sinigang broth and large batch adobo.

Prep table and cutting boards

Small bar fridge

For proteins, dairy, and eggs below 5°C.

Food thermometer

Trestle tables / serving counter

Gazebo/marquee

Generator

If no mains power — shaved ice machine and freezer draw significant load.

Fire extinguisher (Class F — cooking oil)

For deep frying.

Cash float/till

Oil disposal container

Filipino food stall

Rice boxes with lids

For adobo and rice plates.

Lumpia bags / paper sleeves

Sinigang soup bowls with lids

Noodle boxes (for pancit)

Halo-halo cups (large, 500ml+)

Must be large — halo-halo is a generous serve.

Ensaymada boxes or bags

Calamansi juice cups with lids

Wooden spoons and forks

Napkins

Takeaway bags

Allergen information card

Fish, crustaceans, gluten, dairy, egg, coconut, molluscs — display clearly.

Food Business Registration

Food Supervisor Certificate

At least one person on site.

Food Handler Certificate

Every person handling food.

Public Liability Insurance

LPG/gas safety compliance

Multiple burners and spit roaster — cylinders secured, regulator checked.

Spit roaster approval

Check market rules — open flame spit roasting may require special permission.

Deep frying safety compliance

Class F fire extinguisher mandatory for lumpia frying.

Temperature control compliance

Adobo and sinigang above 60°C, dairy and proteins below 5°C, ube ice cream below -18°C.

Fish allergen declaration

Fish sauce used throughout — must declare on all affected products.

Crustacean allergen declaration

Shrimp paste in bicol express and prawns in sinigang — must declare.

Gluten allergen declaration

Soy sauce, lumpia wrappers, and egg noodles contain gluten — must declare.

Dairy allergen declaration

Condensed milk, ice cream, butter, and cheese in halo-halo and ensaymada — must declare.

Egg allergen declaration

Eggs in pancit, sisig, leche flan, and ensaymada — must declare.

Coconut tree nut allergen declaration

Coconut milk and nata de coco used in multiple dishes — declare as tree nut allergen.

Allergen labelling compliance

Fish, crustaceans, gluten, dairy, egg, and coconut all present — comprehensive allergen management required.

Oil disposal compliance

Used cooking oil disposed via licensed waste oil service.

Electrical safety compliance

Generator required for shaved ice machine and freezer.

Market stall fee

Fuel — travel

LPG/gas

Spit roaster and multiple burners.

Generator fuel

If no mains power.

Cooking oil

For deep frying lumpia.

Oil disposal service

Whole pig (for lechon)

Significant cost — order in advance from butcher.

Ube ice cream

Specialty product — source from Filipino grocer or manufacturer.

Halo-halo toppings

Multiple specialty ingredients — source from Filipino or Asian grocer.

Ice (for shaved ice)

High volume for halo-halo service.