Sisig

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Sisig
Sísig Bábî.jpg
Sizzling sisig
Alternative namesSisig
CourseMain course, snack, salad
Place of originPhilippines
Region or statePampanga
Created bymodern sisig, Lucia Cunanan; original sisig, no attributed creator
Serving temperatureHot
Main ingredientsPork jowls, ears and liver
Food energy
(per serving)
293[1] kcal

Sisig is a Kapampangan dish made from parts of pig head and chicken liver, usually seasoned with calamansi , onions and chili peppers. Sisig was first mentioned in a Kapampangan dictionary in the 17th Century meaning "to snack on something sour" and "salad". It usually refers to fruits, often unripe or half-ripe, sometimes dipped in salt and vinegar. It also refers to a method of preparing fish and meat, especially pork, which is marinated in a sour liquid such as lemon juice or vinegar, then seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices.[2]

Sisig has been a culinary tradition of Pampanga and the Kapampangan people feel very strongly about it to the point that they declared Sizzling Sisig Babi (pork) as an intangible heritage of Angeles City through a city ordinance (City Ordinance No. 405, Series of 2017 “An ordinance declaring Sizzling Sisig Babi as an intangible cultural heritage of Angeles City, and establishing systems and policies in safeguarding the original recipe of Sizzling Sisig, providing mechanisms of implementation, and for other related purposes”)[3]

Origin[edit]

Sisig is more of a cooking process rather than just the dish. Sisig can be anything,  but the keywords are: sour and snack. The earliest believed record of the word sisig can be traced back to 1732, and was recorded by Augustinian friar Diego Bergaño in his Vocabulary of the Kapampangan Language in Spanish and Dictionary of the Spanish Language in Kapampangan.[4] Bergaño defines sisig as a "salad, including green papaya, or green guava eaten with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar." There is no mention of how long this cooking style has existed prior to the coming of the Spaniards during the Age of Conquest. The term mannisig, as in mannisig manga, a phrase still used today refer to eating green mangoes dipped in vinegar.  Back then, it was a snack eaten by pregnant women. Pregnant women enjoy the sourness due to their paglilihi or pregnancy cravings. [3] Sisig evolved from fruits like papaya, guava or green mangoes to pork (pigs ears). The introduction of meat into the dish does not have an exact date as well.

Authentic Sisig Kapampangan doesn't have egg nor mayonnaise.
A sisig variation in Malolos using mushroom as the main ingredient, served with fried rice and egg.

Locals believe that the utilization of the pig's head in the dish came from "recycling" the excess meat from the commissaries of Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga.[5] Pig heads were purchased cheap (or free) since they were not used in preparing meals for the U.S. Air Force personnel stationed there during the American Occupation of Luzon and Visayas.[6] Aling Lucing became popular when she grilled the pig's ears,  and adding the use of the cheeks to accommodate the bigger demand, a recipe she learned from the nextdoor stall owner in Crossing, Ricardo "Bapang Kadok"[3]. Aling Lucing was a very charismatic woman so naturally she had more clientele. The evolution of Sisig moved forward when Benedict Pamintuan of Sugay's also in Angeles City (eventually opened his own restaurant named Benedict's) thought of using a sizzling plate because the fat easily gets sebo when you eat it as pulutan[3].  This development catapulted Sisig to a whole new level. Not only is it enjoyed by the taste buds, but the nose (smell from the smoke),  and ears (sizzling sound) as well.

Manila got a taste of Sisig when 2 groups of Angelenos brought it there 1) Benedict's family opened a restaurant in Sta Mesa, and 2) Claude Tayag's 2 brothers and a cousin opened Trellis Restaurant in Diliman Quezon City. By this time, Sisig was served with ground grilled chicken liver as well[3].

Sisig still has many variations with recipes varying from city to city, and sometimes, family to family, in the Kapampangan province. In summary, Sisig is not defined by the meat used, any meat, fruits or vegetables may be used.  It is not defined by the cut, you don’t call it Sisig just because it is minced. And it is certainly not because of the plate used, you may serve Sisig on a plate not sizzling.


Sisig queen[edit]

Lucia Cunanan of Angeles City, also known as "Aling Lucing," has been credited with reinventing sisig by grilling the pig's ears, and using the cheeks as well[7]. The Philippine Department of Tourism has acknowledged that her "Aling Lucing's" restaurant had established Angeles City as the "Sisig Capital of the Philippines" in 1974.[8] Cunanan's trademark sisig was developed in mid-1974 when she served a concoction of grilled and chopped pig ears and cheeks seasoned with vinegar, calamansi juice, chopped onions and chicken liver and served in hot plates. Today, varieties include sisig ala pizzailo, pork combination, green mussels or tahong, mixed seafood, ostrich sisig, crocodile sisig, spicy python, frog sisig and tokwa't baboy, among others.[7]

Preparation[edit]

According to Cunanan's recipe, preparing sisig comes in three phases: boiling, broiling and finally grilling.[9] A pig's head is first boiled to remove hairs and to tenderize it. Portions of it are then chopped and grilled or broiled. Finally, coarsely chopped onions are added and served on a sizzling plate. Variations of sisig may add any of the following: eggs, ox brains, chicharon (pork cracklings), pork or chicken liver, and mayonnaise. Recently, local chefs have experimented with ingredients other than pork such as chicken, squid, tuna, and tofu.

Festival[edit]

The annual "Sisig Festival" (Sadsaran Qng Angeles) is held every year during December in Angeles City, Pampanga, celebrating the Kapampangan dish. It started in 2003 and was made an annual festival by Mayor Carmelo Lazatin on December 2004 to promote the city's culinary prowess.[10] The festival also features a contest where chefs compete in making dishes, primarily sisig. Congo Grille, a restaurant chain in the country, was the winner in 2006.[11] [12] [13]

In 2008, the festival was put on hiatus following Aling Lucing's death. Marquee Mall then incorporated the festival in 2014 by including it within their annual Big Bite! Northern Food Festival held every October or November.

The Angeles City Tourism Office organized a festival on April 29, 2017. The revival of the festival was in line with the Philippine Department of Tourism’s Flavors of the Philippines campaign. Now called "Sisig Fiesta," the festivities were held at Valdes Street, Angeles City (also known as "Crossing" since it was a former railroad track), where Aling Lucing reinvented the dish.

The newly-revived Sisig Fiesta was a one-day event that will line up a Sisig sampler banquet, Sisig, and BBQ stalls, cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, and showcase Angeleño culinary talent through competitions. The event will also include live bands, dancing, and a night market.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sisig Recipe - Calorie Count". Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  2. ^ "The Pilgrim's Pots and Pans". Archived from the original on 2006-02-21. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  3. ^ a b c d e Angeles City Ordinance No. 405, Series of 2017 “An ordinance declaring Sizzling Sisig Babi as an intangible cultural heritage of Angeles City, and establishing systems and policies in safeguarding the original recipe of Sizzling Sisig, providing mechanisms of implementation, and for other related purposes”)
  4. ^ Bergaño, Diego (2007). Vocabulary of the Kapampangan Language in Spanish and Dictionary of the Spanish Language in Kapampangan. Angeles, Pampanga, Philippines: Holy Angel University Press. ISBN 9719367210.
  5. ^ Estrella, Serna (August 6, 2013). "Sisig: The Tragic History Behind Our Favorite Pulutan". Pepper.ph. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Carlo Osi (26 March 2009). "Filipino cuisine on US television". Mind Feeds. Inquirer Company. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  7. ^ a b "RP's sisig queen found dead in Pampanga home". GMANews.TV. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  8. ^ "Festivals and Events: Pampanga". The Ultimate Philippines Ultimate Travel Guide For Tourists. Department of Tourism. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  9. ^ Nora, Villanueva Daza; Michaela Fenix (1992). A Culinary Life: Personal Recipe Collection. Anvil Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 971-27-0212-X.
  10. ^ Fabian, Dante M. (2004-12-13). "Sisig Fest eyed as annual tourism event". Sun.Star Pampanga. Archived from the original on 2009-06-22. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  11. ^ Template:Cite webm
  12. ^ "Sizzling Pork Sisig Recipe by Recipe ni Juan".
  13. ^ "Food of the Philippines: Sizzling Pork Sisig". Archived from the original on 2016-12-18.