ASEAN Ambassadors and their spouses, led by Brunei Ambassador Hajah Johariah binti Wahab and Louie Barcelon-Locsin, take part in the traditional ASEAN handshake at the opening of the ASEAN Food Festival.

Kaung Nyin Paung is steamed sticky rice with salted sesame and scraped coconut.

Myanmar’s national dish, Mohinga is a rice noodle in fish soup (left) while Kaung Nyin Paung is steamed sticky rice with salted sesame and scraped coconut.

Thailand’s pad thai, Cambodia’s nun krokor, and Malaysia’s teh tarik. These were just some of the dishes presented during the recent ASEAN Food Festival at SMX Aura Convention Center.The food festival brought together under one roof traditional dishes and exotic flavors of the 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The event was a joint project of the ASEAN Ladies Foundation and the Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the 10 embassies of the ASEAN member states and SM. Guests enjoyed Brunei’s Nasi Katok Ayam (rice and fried chicken served withor chili sauce wrapped in brown paper) and Pulut Panggangor (rice withfilling). Cambodia, on the other hand, brought popular street food delights—Num Krokor coconut rice cake and Num Banh Chokor fish curry noodle; while Indonesia’s signature Nasi Goreng (stir fried rice) and Sate Ayam (grilled chicken served with peanut sauce) were showcased at the fair.Lao PDR’s Seensavanh (beef jerky) and Khaiphaenor (dried green algae); Malaysia’s Laksa Asam Penang (spicy and sour fish noodles) and Teh Tarik (hot milk tea); and Myanmar’s Mohinga (rice noodle with fish soup) and Kaung Nyin Paung (steamed glutinous rice seasoned with sesame salt) also delighted guests.Singapore’s famous Laksa (spicy noodle soup) and Hainanese Chicken Rice were among the crowd favorites, as well Thailand’s Pad Thai (stir-fried rice noodle dish) and Thai Milk Tea, and Vietnam’s Nemrán (fried spring roll). Coming from the Philippines was an updated version of the iconicserved at astore. The one-day event also highlighted rich Southeast Asian culture with fun games and performances. Indonesian performers entertained guests with their traditional Pendet Dance, the Myanmar Embassy performed their Shwe Man Taung Yeik Kho dance, and the Thailand Embassy had a performance using a Thai stringed musical instrument.ALF chairperson Louie Barcelon Locsin, who’s also the wife of DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin, together with Her Excellency Hajah Johariah binti Haji Wahab, Ambassador of the Embassy of Brunei in Manila and president of the ALF, led the opening ceremony. They were joined by ASEAN Ambassadors and spouses who took part in the traditional ASEAN handshake.