Though the history of sisig is often contested, many attribute its conception to Lucia Cunanan.However, few realize that she wasn’t the first to chop up pig parts, or put it on a sizzling plate. Sisig is actually derived from the old Tagalog word sisigan, which means “to make sour”.
Its existence was first recorded by an Augustinian friar in 1732. It wasn’t until the American occupation that the version we know with pork and other odd bits really developed. Commissaries at the Clark Air Bases would throw out tons of pig heads and innards because they avoided its use in preparing meals for the American troops stationed there. Nearby restaurants would take the discarded off-cuts and incorporate them into the sour salad, serving them with beers at their late-night joints by the railroad, an area known as the “Crossing”.
Nowadays, sisig has become one of our most popular exports, a dish that is often championed abroad by local and foreign chefs alike. It has taken the world by storm, and is bringing Filipino cuisine to the forefront of the global dining scene. There is even a festival dedicated to the beloved food held in the Philippines, where it all began.