Tagalog
Classic Chicken Adobo
Adobong Manok
The national dish—tender chicken braised in soy, vinegar, and garlic until gloriously glazed.
Recipe collection
Budget Ulam Recipes
These dishes use pantry staples, vegetables, and smaller meat portions so you can feed a family without a fiesta budget. Use My Prices on each recipe to match your local market.
How to serve this collection
- One ulam plus rice is enough for weekday dinner—do not overcook too many dishes.
- Munggo and ginataang gulay are strong meat-stretchers with vegetables.
- Leftover adobo becomes tomorrow's silog with garlic rice and egg.
Tagalog
Pork Adobo
Adobong Baboy
Filipino pork adobo with glossy soy-vinegar sauce, pork belly, bay leaf, peppercorns, fried garlic, and green onion—the rich adobo half of t
Bicolano
Adobo sa Gata
Adobo sa Gata (Adobo with Coconut Milk)
Filipino adobo sa gata—soy-vinegar adobo simmered with coconut milk and chili; creamy, tangy, and the Bicolano twist on classic adobo.
Tagalog
Ginisang Munggo
Ginisang Munggong Habol
Thick Filipino ginisang munggo with crispy pork belly, malunggay, chicharon, and toasted garlic—served with rice and patis-calamansi sawsawa
Bicolano
Ginataang Gulay
Gulay sa Gata
Bicol-style ginataang gulay—chicken and vegetables in creamy coconut milk with kalabasa, sitaw, okra, labuyo...
Tagalog
Giniling
Giniling na Baboy
Giniling na baboy with ground pork, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, peas, and quail eggs in a savory tomato sauce—the classic Filipino picad
Tagalog
Classic Pork Menudo
Menudong Baboy
Handaan-style pork menudo—1 cm cubes of pork and liver in thick tomato sauce with hotdog, potato, carrot, bell peppers, peas, garbanzos, and
Tagalog
Pork Binagoongan
Binagoongang Baboy
Pork binagoongan—crisp-fried pork belly tossed in sautéed shrimp paste, tomatoes, and chili until salty, tangy, and ulam-ready; one of the m
Tagalog
Pancit Bihon
Bihon na Guisado
Filipino pancit bihon with golden rice noodles, chicken, cabbage, carrots, and snow peas—a birthday and handaan staple.
Tagalog
Adobong Sitaw
Adobong Sitaw (Ginisang Gulay)
Sitaw and pork belly adobo with whole garlic, peppercorns, and siling labuyo—glossy soy-vinegar sauce, bright green beans, and liempo that r
Tagalog
Ginisang Ampalaya
Ginisang Ampalaya at Itlog
Ampalaya stir-fried with fluffy egg curds, red onion, and tomato—a bright, savory gulay ulam with just enough patis and optional chili heat.
Bicolano
Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw
Kalabasa at Sitaw sa Gata
Chunky kalabasa and long sitaw in thick, pale-orange coconut cream—pure gulay gata ulam served with bagoong and calamansi on the side.
Tagalog
Tinortang Talong
Tortang Talong
Char-grilled eggplant dipped in egg and pan-fried until puffed and golden—the classic Filipino eggplant omelet ulam.
Tagalog
Chop Suey
Chop Suey (Gulay na May Sarsa)
Filipino chop suey with shrimp, chicken, quail eggs, cabbage, and crisp vegetables in a light oyster-sauce glaze.
Tagalog
Relyenong Bangus
Relyenong Bangus (Stuffed Milkfish)
Relyenong bangus—deboned milkfish stuffed with sautéed flaked fish, raisins, carrots, and peas, pan-fried until golden; the stuffed bangus e
Tagalog
Corned Beef Ginisa
Ginisang Corned Beef (Ulam ng Estudyante)
Filipino corned beef ginisa with potato cubes and red onion—canned beef turned into a breakfast spread with pandesal, eggs, and coffee. Funn
Tagalog
Homemade Corned Beef
Homemade Corned Beef (Corned Beef sa Bahay)
Best homemade Filipino corned beef: cure beef brisket, simmer until tender, shred, then ginisa with garlic, onion, and potatoes—better than
Cebuano
Pork Humba
Humba (Visayan Adobo's Sweeter Cousin)
Authentic Visayan pork humba—slow-braised pork belly with brown sugar, tausi, pineapple, and banana blossoms; the sweet-savory ulam Cebuans
Tagalog
Cornsilog
Cornsilog (Corned Beef, Sinangag, Itlog)
Cornsilog at home—garlic fried rice, fried egg, and sautéed corned beef; the Filipino breakfast plate that turns a can into a full silog.
Tagalog
Beef Tapa
Tapang Baka (Sweet-Salty Cured Beef)
Filipino beef tapa at home—garlic, soy, sugar, calamansi overnight cure, then fry until sticky-edged; the tapa behind every tapsilog craving