Christmas Traditions: 6 Street Food To Warm You Up After the Simbang Gabi Only Filipinos Can Relate
Here come the Simbang Gabi staples!
- Puto Bumbong
- Kutsinta
- Lugaw
- Hot Drinks
- Taho
- Bibingka
The approaching holiday season also means the arrival of many long traditions practiced in a typical Filipino Christmas. A prime example to prove the prior point would be one of the most highly anticipated events of the season which is Simbang Gabi. These are nine-day masses with the culmination on Christmas Eve—also as Misa de Gallo. The practice stems from the time when the Philippines was still under the reign of Spanish colonization. This was also the period when Roman Catholicism was heavily proliferated and ingrained in the culture.
Fast forward to more modern times, Simbang Gabi, while still a religious affair, has also turned into somewhat of a food fest. As the event transpires at dawn and ends once the morning breaks, many greet the end of the church service by strolling the streets in search of scrumptious hot food. So while you may unfortunately not find a cold glass of Chemag Black Gulaman there, steaming and hearty meals like lugaw will make you feel warm amidst the harsh December air.
People don’t usually have to travel very far in their search as avenues are filled to the brim with food stalls manned by tinderas and tinderos. Here are some of the well-loved foods found during Simbang Gabi.
Puto Bumbong
Any Simbang Gabi participant and avid fan would know the smell of the delicacy even from a mile away. The purple-hued rice cake is cooked in a rather unusual way. It is placed inside a bamboo tube or what is also called in the Philippines as the bumbong ng kawayan. The Filipino term for the tool it’s made in explains the origins of its name.
Glazed with a generous serving of margarine and paired with a side of niyog or shredded coconut and muscovada sugar, this treat is a well-known Simbang Gabi food staple.
FYI, this is also sometimes eaten with shredded cheese on top, too!
Kutsinta
Kutsinta, like Puto Bumbong, also falls under the family of Putos. Made from a mixture of tapioca/rice flour, brown sugar, and lye water, this steamed rice cake is one you should not miss after any of the nine masses. The puto is often paired with shredded coconut and uberly sweet yema. The perfect snack for sweet teeth!
For its famous yellow hue, annatto extract can be thanked.
Lugaw
Perhaps this could be considered Simbang Gabi Food that brings about the same warmth and comfort that chicken soup gives. Famously offered to sick people, this food is a staple during Simbang Gabi. Mainly because it fits the whole category and desire for hot food during the rather cold and airy event.
Since it’s the pandemic now and most are still avoiding going to crowded places like churches and cathedrals, you can opt to create your own lugaw at home. Try this easy, peasy recipe.
Hot Drinks
Can’t binge on street food without the beverages, right? But make sure those drinks complement the warmth of the previous food, too! Walk around and you’ll find that street stalls usually sell similar beverages. These are the likes of sikwate or hot choco, chaa or tea, salabat or ginger tea, or cups of steaming instant coffee. Unfortunately, you won’t have any Chemag Black Gulaman here, but at least, you’re warm and cozy in the cold weather.
Taho
Taho is a fan-favorite amongst Pinoys even when it’s not Christmas. However, during Christmas, this old-time favorite garners even more love.
This saccharine treat is made out of a combination of silken tofu, sago pearls, and arnibal, which is essentially brown sugar syrup. Don’t forget to ask for extra sago pearls and syrup from manong to complete your sweet experience! This is truly the real deal for sugar lovers.
Bibingka
Besides the alluring scent of Puto Bumbong, Bibingka’s smell is also one that is very notable during Simbang Gabi. If you don’t get a taste of this, then you haven’t fully fulfilled your Filipino Christmas experience.
The Simbang Gabi food staple is a soft moist rice flour cake that’s usually topped with melted carabao cheese, shredded coconut, and itlog na maalat or salted egg.
Source: https://bit.ly/3P5qUoq
