Kamayan is a traditional Filipino way of eating with your hands, usually served on a communal table lined with banana leaves. This feast-style meal is a celebration of Filipino cuisine and culture, showcasing a variety of dishes that are meant to be enjoyed together. In this recipe, we’ll explore how to create a Kamayan feast at home, including some of the most popular dishes served in this style of dining.
Ingredients:
For the Banana Leaves
- Fresh banana leaves, washed and dried
For the Main Dishes
- Adobo Chicken
- Chicken thighs or drumsticks
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Whole peppercorns
- Pork Lechon
- Pork belly
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Lemongrass
- Grilled Fish
- Whole fish (like tilapia or bangus)
- Soy sauce
- Lemon or calamansi juice
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Pancit
- Rice noodles
- Chicken breast
- Shrimp
- Mixed vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, snow peas)
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
- Garlic
- Fresh Lumpia
- Spring roll wrappers
- Ground pork
- Shrimp
- Mixed vegetables
- Garlic
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
- Brown sugar
- Peanuts
- Bagoong
- Fermented shrimp paste
For the Sides
- Sautéed shrimp paste (bagoong guisado)
- Sliced tomatoes and onions
- Salted duck eggs (itlog na maalat)
- Steamed rice
How to Make Kamayan Feast
- Prepare the Banana Leaves
- Rinse the banana leaves under running water.
- Wipe them dry with a clean cloth.
- Lightly heat the banana leaves over an open flame to make them pliable.
- Cook the Main Dishes
- Adobo Chicken: Marinate chicken in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Simmer until chicken is tender.
- Pork Lechon: Rub pork belly with salt, pepper, garlic, and lemongrass. Roast until skin is crispy.
- Grilled Fish: Marinate fish in soy sauce, lemon or calamansi juice, garlic, and pepper. Grill until cooked through.
- Pancit: Sauté chicken, shrimp, and vegetables. Add soaked rice noodles and season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic.
- Fresh Lumpia: Sauté ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables. Fill spring roll wrappers with the mixture and roll them up. Serve with a sweet and savory sauce made from garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar, topped with crushed peanuts.
- Prepare the Sides
- Sauté shrimp paste (bagoong guisado) until fragrant.
- Serve sliced tomatoes and onions, salted duck eggs, and steamed rice on the side.
- Assemble the Kamayan Feast
- Lay the banana leaves on a large table.
- Arrange the main dishes and sides on top of the banana leaves.
- Gather friends and family around the table and enjoy eating with your hands!
About the Main Ingredients
- Banana Leaves: Used as a natural, eco-friendly plate in Filipino cuisine, banana leaves impart a subtle flavor to the food.
- Adobo Chicken: A quintessential Filipino dish, adobo is a cooking method that involves marinating meat in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns before simmering until tender.
- Pork Lechon: A festive dish, pork lechon is a whole roasted pig traditionally cooked over charcoal until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender and flavorful.
- Grilled Fish: Grilling whole fish with a simple marinade of soy sauce, lemon or calamansi juice, and garlic highlights the natural flavors of the fish.
- Pancit: A noodle dish that symbolizes long life, pancit is made with rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic.
- Fresh Lumpia: A type of Filipino spring roll, fresh lumpia is filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables, then topped with a sweet and savory sauce and crushed peanuts.
