PEOPLE flock to Pangasinan mostly to pay homage to Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the Philippines. Pangasinan also boasts Hundred Islands, which are biodiversity hotspots with rare species of birds, reptiles, and plants unlike any others found anywhere else in the world. You can also find pristine, powdery-white sand beaches with clear waters and jaw-dropping sunsets in Pangasinan.
But what sets Pangasinan apart from other provinces in the country is its one-of-a-kind tupig, a specialty food concoction of the place. Tupig means “flattened,” in reference to its shape after cooking. It is popularly sold as street food particularly during the Christmas season and other occasions or events. Made of glutinous rice, grated young coconut meat, muscovado sugar, butter and wrapped in banana leaf, tupig is grilled or roasted until char-cooked that gives it its smoky flavor. That’s one of the come-ons of tupig, it’s aroma that wafts in the air which draws visitors to have a taste of, or buy, tupig. It is bought as pasalubong or present, as personal consumption, or as dessert/snacks.
Best paired with coffee or ginger tea, tupig tastes so good freshly cooked. But it can last up to three to five days at room temperature. Longer when refrigerated; steam when ready to consume.
Believe me, your stay in Pangasinan won’t be complete without a taste of tupig. Yum!
