These Healthy and Uniquely Pinoy Dishes are a Must-Try at Home

Filipinos are foodies at heart. Our love for food runs deep, be it a special occasion, just simple family meal, breaktime with colleague or just alone time for yourself.   As much as we enjoy variety of cuisines, Pinoy food always brings comfort to us.

However, a sad truth about our local dishes is the fact that it’s a little towards the saltier side.  We love rich flavor hence tendency to prefer saltier dishes.  Too much salt is bad for your health since this may cause hypertension and a lot of complications such as heart diseases, kidney problems, and stroke.

Fear not! You can still enjoy a lot of Filipino dishes from home without worrying about the health risks it may cause. Here at Cookmunity®, we have a variety of Less Sodium Recipes you can follow to enjoy guilt-free meals to the fullest.

These four less sodium gulay and fish recipes are uniquely Pinoy and certified umami-licious! Check them out and try cooking these dishes at home.

Laswa

Laswa is famous among Ilonggos. Healthy soup dish good for all ages, from young ones to the young once. Ilonggos would usually use a variety of vegetables in Laswa and will either add shrimp or fish to make the dish more delicious. For this recipe, we will be using shrimps rich in iodine that helps in regulating normal metabolism. To make this hearty soup, get a pot and add water. Put onion and tomatoes and let it boil. Once boiled, add squash and shrimps. Let it boil for a few more minutes, then season it with fish sauce and AJI-NO-MOTO® umami seasoning. Add sitaw, okra and eggplant to make this gulay recipe as healthy as it can be. Boil for one minute and put in the alugbati and saluyot leaves to cook.

Transfer the soup to a serving bowl and serve while hot. Note that it is essential to add your leafy greens just a minute before you switch off the fire to preserve its natural crispness and nutrients. These are rich in Vitamin C and Iron usually found among dark and green leafy vegetables.

Lumpiang Hubad

From birthdays to holidays, every handaan is incomplete without a serving of everyone’s favorite Lumpia. Aside from the usual pork and veggie variants, some Lumpias are also served with togue or saba. And just as the fillings can be changed, you can also serve Lumpia without the wrapper! Thus, Lumpiang Hubad is another Filipino favorite among the many ways you can make Lumpia. Aside from the fact that it’s undeniably delicious, it’s basically healthier without the added Calories from the wrapper and oil from frying.

To prepare Lumpiang Hubad, saute onion, garlic, ground pork, squash, sweet potato, baguio beans, and singkamas in oil. Once cooked, season with pepper, fish sauce and AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning. Mix well and simmer for a few seconds and that’s it! Switch your usual fried Lumpia at home with this healthier version to expose yourself with vegetables that are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals which are good for your overall health.

Kalabasang Okoy na may Hipon

For healthier fried dish cravings, try Kalabasang Okoy na may Hipon. This dish is high in Vitamin A thanks to Kalabasa which is excellent to help maintain normal vision.

To cook this dish, simply mix cornstarch, flour, salt, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, baking powder and cold water in a container. Blend them well to make a smooth batter. Next, stir in beaten eggs, kalabasa, bean sprouts and shrimps. Make sure to mix them well to incorporate them all together. When deep frying, carefully drop 1/4 cup of the mixture in preheated oil and cook until golden brown. Make sure to drain excess oil to prevent it from sogging. This dish is best served hot with spiced vinegar as sauce. Enjoy!

Kilawing Tanigue

Our last recipe is Kilawing Tanigue from the word Kilawin or Kinilaw which is a term used interchangeably in various parts of the Philippines. This word means to marinate raw meat or fish in vinegar and other spices.

Tanigue, is also rich in Protein important for building our muscles. It is highly recommended that you only use fresh Tanigue to avoid the too ‘fishy’ aftertaste and prevent food poisoning.

If you want to make Kilawing Tanigue, first, marinate the tanigue fillets in 1/2 cup of vinegar for at least 30 minutes then discard the vinegar used to marinate the fish. Pour another 1/2 cup of vinegar to rinse the fish and let it sit for about 5 minutes before removing the vinegar once again. Add salt, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, pepper, and calamansi juice to season and flavor. Next, stir and mix onion, ginger, and green chili. Lastly, place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes then serve while cold and fresh.

By partially replacing salt with AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, the sodium content of these recipes was reduced by up to 39%! This is because AJI-NO-MOTO® contains only 1/3 of sodium compared to the sodium in table salt.

It is recommended by the World Health Organization to consume only 2,000 mg of sodium per day. Consuming sodium-reduced dishes will help us limit our sodium intake to recommended levels and prevent hypertension and its complications.

Make these healthy and delicious Filipino dishes for you and your family at home. To know more about Less Sodium Recipes, come visit and follow our Facebook Page and browse through our recipes here at Cookmunity® by Ajinomoto Philippines. Happy cooking!