Ngohiong (Cebu Must-Try Street Food #3)
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3. Ngohiong
Definitely one of Cebu’s most sought-after street foods — Ngohiong. It’s a kind of fried roll stuffed with a variety of fresh delicious fillings such as ubod (coconut pith), singkamas (turnips), bamboo shoots, and other vegetable fillings, and then coated with some special spice batter. It is then deep-fried to crispy goodness to give you that powerful crunch in every bite. One key ingredient of this delectable crispy roll is the Chinese five-spice powder—a flavorful aromatic spice blend of cloves, fennel seeds, Sichuan pepper, star anise, and cinnamon.
Pronounced as “ngo-yong” and as the name suggests, you’re right it’s Chinese. But it has found its way assimilating to the Cebuano food delicacies as many Chinese from Fujian province migrated to Cebu a long time ago and bringing with them secret recipes for this tasty treat. Over time a lot of variations of this fine delicacy have been produced and it’s up to you to judge which one is the best tasting recipe for you. One of the most notable ngohiong vendors in Cebu is the one called “Chinese Ngohiong”. You have to try their ngohiong if you want to have a bite of the best kind in town. They also have a special dip that makes your ngohiong experience more pleasurable. To say that they have perfected their ngohiong wouldn’t be an overstatement. Once you’ve tried it, you will know why a lot of people keep coming back to that store every day and endure waiting in line just to have their fair share of this truly remarkable fried masterpiece.
Why try it? It’s a delectable, crispy fried roll generously stuffed with freshly crisp vegetable fillings and is paired with a sweet and sour spiced dip that will make you wonder how such a flavorful, tasty delicacy be priced at around 7-10 pesos