Embracing You Inner Black Bean & Cooking Steamed Lapu-Lapu

Black Beans and Beauty Standards: A Filipino Food Philosophy

Let me tell you about my complicated relationship with black beans. Not the romantic kind, but the existential kind that only happens when you're a morena Pinay standing in the beauty aisle of Ororama, clutching your nth tube of whitening cream while thinking of a recipe for steamed lapu-lapu with black beans.

The Irony is Real, Sis

Isn't it funny how we Filipinos will literally fight someone over the last serving of lapu-lapu with black beans at a family gathering, but then spend our hard-earned pesos trying to bleach ourselves lighter than rice paper? We'll lovingly steam those beautiful, rich black beans until they're perfectly tender, celebrating how they complement the delicate sweetness of fresh lapu-lapu. We'll Instagram our food with #PinoyPride hashtags. But God forbid we actually look like we enjoy eating under the sun that grew the ingredients we're so proud of.

Plot Twist: Black Beans are Having Their Moment

Meanwhile, in the wellness world, black beans are literally the IT girl. They're packed with antioxidants, protein, and fiber. Nutritionists can't stop raving about them. They're the superfood that influencers put in their açai bowls and call "exotic." But here we are, treating our morena skin like it's something to hide instead of something to highlight—like we're ashamed of looking like we actually belong in the Philippines instead of a K-drama.

The Real Tea (or Should I Say, The Real Beans)

You know what's actually beautiful? The way black beans glisten when they're perfectly steamed with soy sauce and a touch of sesame oil. The way they create this gorgeous, rich sauce that makes everything taste like home. The way they turn a simple fish into a feast that brings families together. Your morena skin? It has that same richness. That same depth. That same ability to make everything around it more beautiful.

What if we celebrated being sun-kissed instead of sun-shamed? What if we realized that morena is not a consolation prize—it's the full package?

From Kitchen Wisdom to Life Wisdom

Black beans don't apologize for their color. They know they're essential. They know they make everything better. They know their worth. Maybe it's time we learned from them.

Ready to celebrate your morena glow AND your cooking skills?

Speaking of black beans, let me share the recipe that inspired this whole philosophical crisis. This steamed lapu-lapu with black beans is so good, it'll make you forget all about beauty standards and focus on what really matters: perfectly flaky fish, umami-rich sauce, and the satisfied faces of everyone at your table. Trust me, when you're serving this dish, nobody's going to care about anyone's skin color—they'll be too busy asking for seconds.