Summary
Chicken inasal, commonly known simply as inasal, is a variant of the Filipino chicken dish known as lechon manok. Chicken inasal is a grilled chicken part usually breast (Pecho) or leg (Paa) while a lechon manok is a stuffed whole chicken. It is chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto, then grilled over hot coals while basted with the marinade. It is served with rice, calamansi, soy sauce, chicken oil and vinegar (often sinamak vinegar, a palm vinegar infused with garlic, chili peppers and langkawas).
 Chicken inasal served with sinangag | |
| Alternative names | Hiligaynon: Inasal nga manok |
|---|---|
| Course | main course |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Western Visayas |
| Serving temperature | hot |
| Main ingredients | chicken, lime, pepper, vinegar and annatto |
| Similar dishes | Inihaw |
| |
There are two popular versions of chicken inasal, the Bacolod and the Iloilo. Many people believe that Bacolod's inasal has a slightly sour base flavor, while Iloilo's has a sweet flavor.
Origin edit
One of the earliest documentations of chicken inasal was by Felix Laureano in his photo book, Recuerdos de Filipinas, which describes the daily lives and culture of Iloilo and Panay. The book published in 1895 in Madrid, Spain, listed inihao nga manuc as one of the items sold in the photo of a Calenderia, a store that sells food. Inihao nga manuc was described as pollo asado Spanish for grilled or roasted chicken. [1]
Bacolod chicken inasal edit
Chicken inasal is a common dish in the Visayas, it is a popular specialty in the city of Bacolod, where an entire street market is dedicated to local dishes, particularly inasal. A sign in the heart of the market reads "Manokan Country" (literally "Chicken Country" in Hiligaynon). [2]
Banoy Velez from Oton, Iloilo who started Velez Inasal claimed to have introduced chicken inasal in Bacolod City in 1946. However, the origin of inasal's popularity can be traced back to Bacolod's Cuadra Street (Chicken Alley) in the 1970s.[3]
Declarations edit
Chicken inasal was declared a locally important cultural property of Bacolod on November 16, 2022.[3] On October 31, 2023, Iloilo was recognized as UNESCO’s Creative City of Gastronomy. Iloilo City listed chicken inasal as one of its food offerings.[4]
Popular restaurants edit
Among the popular restaurants serving chicken inasal are Bacolod Chicken Inasal started by Tanalgo sisters and Mang Inasal started by Edgar Sia in Iloilo City in 2003. Mang Inasal has now 570 stores in the Philippines.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Laureano, Felix (1895). Recuerdos de Filipinas (in Spanish). Barcelona. pp. 44–45.
en: a pavilion or kiosk made of bamboo with a nipa roof and walls selling "inihao nga manuc" or "pollo asado"
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Manokan Country". Unofficial Guide, Philippines. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
- ^ a b Guardian, Daily (November 27, 2022). "Bacolod inasal declared as Important Cultural Property". Daily Guardian. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ "55 new cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on World Cities Day". Retrieved October 31, 2023.