About We Cook Filipino

Kumain ka na? (Have you eaten yet?) is the greeting used by Filipinos whenever they meet.

A beautiful compendium of food and people, this book presents the extraordinary food culture of the Philippines in stories and recipes from 36 culinary trailblazers, award-winning chefs, food writers and social media stars from around the globe--from James Beard Award winners and nominees to chef-owners and more. They share with us not just their favorite recipes for classic Philippine dishes like adobo, sinigang and ginataan, but also their personal family stories about what Filipino food and food culture mean to them.

Here are just a few of the fascinating stories and recipes found in this book:

• Award-winning writer, blogger and podcaster Liren Baker

• explains how family recipes were passed down to her by her Tita Leah and presents her favorite recipe for "pancit bihon guisado" (vegetarian stir-fried rice noodles)

• James Beard finalist Carlo Lamagna

• , chef-owner of Magna Kusina in Portland, Oregon, tells us how culture shock turns into culinary adventure whenever he goes to the Philippines, and shares his healthy take on street-food favorite "tokneneng" (orange-coated egg)

• Michelin Star awardee chef Roger Asakil Joya

• finds a place truly deserving of the much-coveted star and suggests a clean, light, and delicate recipe for sinigang (sour and savory soup) as a prelude to a meal

• Grace Guinto, chief baking officer

• of Sweet Cora, a catering business that adds Filipino flavors to local Aussie sweet treats, talks of the recipes her mother left her as "love notes from the heavens" and gives us a summery recipe for the classic "Food for the Gods" (no-bake date and walnut balls)

• Plus recipes and stories from 32 others!

Along with insightful stories and 51 different recipes, readers will learn many tips and techniques to balance flavor and heart-health in your dishes, such as:

• How to use Filipino cooking methods to achieve bold flavors without adding extra sodium or sugars to your diet

• Preparing ingredients to retain the maximum amount of heart-healthy nutrients

• Managing your sodium intake while still using salt to heighten flavor

• Using heart-healthy tricks--like how to increase nutrient density and reduce the caloric value of a cup of white rice

• Quick methods brewing flavorful broths, whipping up no-fry crispy treats, and so much more!

The 51 delicious recipes in this book are not just "from the heart"--they are also "good for the heart"--specifically included for their health benefits. The result is a cookbook presenting food as something central to Filipino culture and emotional well-being as well as being nutritious and amazingly tasty!

Francis Maling has roots in Manila but grew up in Queens, New York. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, he’s worked in many kitchens all over NYC from fine dining establishments to places selling street food. He hopes to share his take on Filipino food with his latest project, a pop-up called Bad for Business.

Jacqueline Chio-Lauri (@myfoodbeginnings) is the editor and lead author of this compilation of stories and recipes, as well as the highly acclaimed The New Filipino Kitchen. Keep an eye out for her upcoming picture books based on the lives of Filipino food icons Maria Orosa and Ma Mon Luk. Jacqueline currently lives in the UK.