RECIPE INSPIRATION
If you have never tried Filipino food, now is the time. It’s delicious, easy to cook and, as this menu from chef Budgie Montoya shows, perfect for entertaining
RECIPES FERDINAND ‘BUDGIE’ MONTOYA
I was born in the Philippines but grew up in Sydney, Australia.
Growing up as part of the Filipino diaspora meant that our food was very important to us and reminded us of our homeland. Filipino food is very unique, due to the country’s rich history of colonisation and trade throughout the region. The Philippines was ruled by the Spanish for over 350 years and before that trade links to China and the rest of south-east Asia were very common. I like to think the country is one of the original melting pots. Our food is a real fusion cuisine – most dishes will have ingredients and influences from China, such as noodles and soy sauce, Spain and Mexico, and down south the Muslim communities are influenced by Indonesian cuisine.
But contrary to most people’s perception, Filipinos are quite spice averse; our main flavour profiles are sweet and sour. One of the most important ingredients is calamansi, the native Filipino lime, which has a flavour more like a kumquat than the lime you usually buy. It’s very hard to get in the UK, so at my restaurant Sarap Bistro I use the bottled juice. It gives a lovely summery, fresh flavour to both savoury and sweet dishes. Another important ingredient is vinegar – we use cane or coconut vinegar in the restaurant and in pretty much everything. These vinegars have a higher sugar content than the vinegars you are used to.
The Philippines is an island nation, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, and every region has their own take on a dish. Take our most well-known dish for instance, adobo – every household has their own version, which is why I don’t tend to have it on the menu; you can’t compete against someone’s mum!
I first came to London with my wife back in 2009 and enjoyed it, and then in 2012 we came back. We love it here. The sunshine in Australia is great, but London is on the doorstep of the rest of the world. It’s a wonderful city that has allowed us to spread our wings and champion Filipino food. We started with a supper club and now own the restaurant, which has allowed me to rediscover my roots through the language of food.
Meet Budgie
Budgie Montoya started cooking (he used to work in IT) when he arrived in London in 2012 and now has his own restaurant, Sarap Bistro, in the capital. saraplondon.com
BUDGIE HAS SHARED A PERSONAL PLAYLIST TO GO WITH HIS FILIPINO MENU Find it by scanning the Spotify code
