I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook

The definitive modern Filipino cookbook, written by the restaurateurs who brought Filipino food to mainstream attention in New York City. Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad opened Maharlika and Jeepney in Manhattan, proving that Filipino cuisine deserves the same respect as Thai, Japanese, or Vietnamese food. This book is part cookbook, part cultural manifesto, and it was a 2019 James Beard Award Finalist, named Best Cookbook of the Year by The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times.

Why Start Here

Most Filipino cookbooks either target the Filipino diaspora (assuming you already know what patis and calamansi are) or water down the cuisine for an unfamiliar audience. Ponseca and Trinidad do neither. They teach you how to cook real Filipino food while explaining the cultural context that makes each dish meaningful. You get adobo (multiple variations), sinigang, lumpia, kare-kare, pancit, lechon kawali, and dozens of other essential dishes.

The recipes are written for home cooks with Western kitchens, but they never compromise on authenticity. The book walks you through building a Filipino pantry, explains the role of vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind in the flavor profile, and gives you the confidence to tackle dishes that might seem intimidating at first. There are also chapters on rice (the backbone of every Filipino meal), street food, and the celebratory feasts called kamayan, where everyone eats with their hands from a communal spread.

What sets this book apart is the storytelling. Ponseca weaves personal history, immigration stories, and cultural pride into every chapter, making it as much a portrait of Filipino identity as it is a cooking guide.

What to Expect

A beautiful hardcover at 304 pages with stunning photography throughout. The recipes range from quick weeknight dishes like garlic fried rice and tocino (cured pork) to more involved projects like whole roasted pig belly. You will need to stock a few specialty ingredients like fish sauce, cane vinegar, and annatto seeds, but most are available at Asian grocery stores or online. The difficulty level varies, so you can start with simple dishes and work your way toward the more elaborate preparations.