Have You Tasted Pipian?

Pipian, Ilocos dish

Yeah I can hear you, pipian dont ring the bell on you. Its not popular and most of the people may not have heard of this recipe.

But if you are Ilocano and live around Vigan City Ilocos Sur,  maybe you already tasted the dish. Or you went to Vigan and was served with the colored yellow food. Actually the pipian dish is somewhat known as Vigan dish, yes just like empanada, okoy and sinanglaw.

Have tasted it but cannot say I like it. Maybe because I'm not fan of sour tasting foods. Or maybe it just not for me.

It is a chicken dish, lots of chicken meat and the glutinous rice plus the sour ingredient we call kamias. There are other ingredients but these are the main parts to make the dish.

One cook I asked said the glutinous rice need to be roasted and then adding lots of water, yes just like lugaw or congee but the difference is that pipian is yellowish while lugaw is whitish,  of course it become brownish when you add cocoa to become champorado.

Pipian is not for merienda or snacks, it is usually serve during special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, family gatherings and get together. Not for bigger occasions like weddings.

It can be for breakfast and dinner.

The taste is sour because of the fruit kamias. I don't know if citrus fruits like lemon can be used because mostly its kamias.

Have not tasted pipian? Maybe next time when you visit Vigan City try to ask the hotel you are staying if can cook pipian for you. I have not heard any restaurants or turo-turo selling the dish. Sinanglaw and okoy are everywhere but not pipian.