MANILA: For Filipino expats who arrive in Gulf countries, adapting to life abroad comes with craving familiar flavors — a yearning that has made many products follow them from the Philippines to their new homes.
Nearly 2 million Filipinos live and work in the Middle East, mainly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They are a natural captive market for Philippine producers, especially those of popular foods, beverages, and condiments.
For Fernando Reyes, professor at the Westford University College in Sharjah, who moved to the UAE in 2014, the main comfort flavor is that of traditional Philippine coffee, known as Barako coffee.
“Barako coffee is deeply rooted in Filipino coffee culture and has a unique place in the hearts of Filipinos. Its robust taste and invigorating aroma evoke memories of mornings in the Philippines,” he told Arab News.
“For Filipino expats like me, it’s a little piece of home that we can hold onto even when we’re thousands of miles away.”
Barako coffee originates from the Philippine province of Batangas, where it has been grown since the 18th century. With a strong and intense aroma, it is a favorite type of coffee in the Philippines.
“The robust flavor of Barako coffee beans transports us back to the bustling streets of the Philippines, where coffee shops and sidewalk stalls serve as gathering places.”
His pick was a popular Philippines 3-in-1 mix, which he could easily buy in UAE supermarkets, as many of them have Filipino food sections.
“Back in the Philippines, starting the day with a cup of coffee is a cherished morning ritual,” Reyes said.
“The convenience of the 3-in-1 mix means that even in our busy lives as expatriates, we can maintain the comforting morning routine that has always been a part of our lives.”
Another taste of home — and one that is more satiating than coffee — is adobo, a stew-like dish made with a cooking method indigenous to the Philippines that requires two key ingredients.
“It can’t be done without soy sauce and vinegar,” said Jenny Segalowitz, the owner of the popular Mukbang Shows Restaurant in Abu Dhabi, who has been living in the UAE for the past 20 years.
The condiments are a staple while cooking and serving not only adobo, but also other Philippine dishes, and while both liquids are easily accessible everywhere, Filipinos like to have them taste exactly as they do at home.
“Filipinos use soy sauce and vinegar a lot,” Segalowitz said. “You will always find them lined up in Asian or Filipino groceries. Or even in any mall where there are groceries with a lane for Filipino products, you will find Philippine trademarks.”
In the same section, Filipinos will usually also find another product that is unmistakably theirs: pancit canton instant noodles — the Philippines’ favorite noodle dish.
“It is always in most of the groceries,” said Sabal Eulogio Jr., a medical sales representative who moved to the UAE in 2006.
He would vote for instant noodles as the most popular Philippine product, which also reflects the Filipino ethos.
“Most of us who are on the go can definitely relate to how quickly we can prepare the food,” he said.
“It is part of a culture that was passed down to us from our parents: to be quick and steady like the instant pancit canton.”
For Jimmy Monreal, saba banana is what makes him feel closer to home.
A cooking plantain, saba is the most versatile among banana varieties in the Philippines and is often used in both desserts and savory dishes.
“It can be used in a lot of Filipino recipes, whether as a main dish or as a snack,” said Monreal, who works as an IT operation analyst in Dubai.
“Though it’s a bit expensive, saba banana is one of our staple foods at home.”
