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GulfSpoongulfspoon

Maria Santos

Contributing Writer

Filipino food writer and community organizer in Abu Dhabi. She documents Filipino food culture across the Gulf and shares home recipes using local ingredients.

Filipino CuisineCommunity CookingAdaptation Recipes

Cultural Background: Filipino, based in Abu Dhabi

Testing Approach: Recipes are tested using ingredients available at Gulf supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.

Recipes by Maria Santos

Stories by Maria Santos

Expat Stories

Adobo in Abu Dhabi

The Filipino community in the Gulf is one of the largest expatriate populations in the region. Their food traditions — from adobo to sinigang — have quietly become part of the Gulf's culinary landscape, carried by millions of workers and families who refuse to let distance dilute the flavors of home.