Typically Cebuano: Puso

You find them mostly in lechon and barbecue stands, piled in a big basket or slung on a peg or nail and looking like and an unusual bunch of tropical fruit. If you didn't know any better-- and do not come from the region-- you will learn that this native delicacy is called pusò, a ready-to-eat-rice cooked inside leaves of woven coconut strips.

The term puso has been conveniently westernized to mean, "hanging rice", the original fast food to go. One has to simply split it up with a knife. With a viand on one hand, the sliced puso on the other, and instantly you have a meal. Easy to pack, easy to eat with no need for plates, the puso is great for picnics, outdoor celebrations, and a handy meal for prolonged sea and land travel. Best of all, it is readily available in most street corners around the island.

Puso's literal meaning In the Visayan dialect is heart, and most likely taken after "puso sa saging", the heart-shaped flower suspended from the trunk of a banana tree. It traces its origin from the traditions and rituals of the Hindu-Malayan culture, prevalent in other neighboring countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Interestingly, the puso-making craft can be found only in the southern region of the Philippines, Cebu being one of them.