August 21, 2018Blessed with a bountiful array of culinary delectables, the Philippines is a gold mine for adventurists across the globe who are hungry for what is truly outlandish. Borne out of necessity or deep cultural roots, the Filipinos are experts in turning what others may consider as inedible, into mouth watering delicacies that is truly “To taste is to believe”.
I always try everything once, and then decide if it is worth a second bite. You have to believe me when I say I’ve seen the utterly disgusting, yet mind blown after taking a bite because it is simply delicious. Food does not always look as good as it tastes. From street food stalls to small restaurants called karenderias, here are some of the exotic foods you can find when visiting the Philippines:
1. Isaw
What it is: Grilled chicken intestine on a stick basted with a sweet, salty and spicy marinade.
Taste: Most of the taste is coming from the banana ketchup and soy sauce based marinade. They have a little bit of a chew to them and a texture typical of organ meats. It goes really well with spicy vinegar.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
2. Ginabot or Chicharon Bulaklak
What it is: Deep fried Pork Intestines
Taste: Crunchy and greasy bite size pieces of intestine perfect as a pulutan or finger food. It also goes really well with spicy vinegar.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
3. Balut
What it is: Boiled chicken or duck egg with a developing embryo inside.
Taste: It may look like something served on Fear Factor, but it definitely taste better than it looks. It is usually eaten with a pinch of salt or doused with a few drops of spiced vinegar. For the most part, it tastes like a regular hard boiled egg with a stronger poultry flavor. Also, you eat the whole thing, feathers, bones, and all. Enjoy 🙂
Rating: 3 out of 5
4. Tamilok or Woodworms
What it is: Contrary to their name, they are not actually worms. They are bivalved molluscs that thrive in rotten wood. They are either served deep fried in batter, or eaten raw in vinegar.
Taste: I’ve tried this dish when my wife and I visited Palawan. Surprisingly, they taste similar to oysters. For the most part, you will taste the vinegar or the batter it is served in. It tasted better than I expected, but not exactly something I would crave.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
5. Crocodile Sisig
What it is: Traditionally, sisig is made with parts of the pig’s head and liver cooked in spices, chilis and calamansi, served on a hot sizzling plate. In this dish, crocodile meat is used instead of pork.
Taste: I’ve tried this dish in Palawan as well. This dish is delicious. Bite after bite is a whole mouthful of flavor. The mix of chilis and spices is superb. It is a must try and a perfect dish that goes well with ice cold beer.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
6. Sea Urchin or Swaki
What it is: Freshly harvested short-spined sea urchins that are typically eaten raw
Taste: I’ve had the Japanese sea urchin before called uni. This one has an almost similar texture but you can taste its natural sweetness and of course its brininess as it comes naturally seasoned by the sea. A few drops of spicy coconut vinegar does add an extra layer of flavor to this dish.
Rating: 3 out of 5
7. Dinuguan or Blood Stew
What it is: Dinuguan is part of the waste not want not culture of the Filipino cuisine. Basically, it is a mixture of a pig’s internal organs including the lungs, liver and intestines slowly simmered in a spicy and rich gravy made up of the pig’s blood.
Taste: The taste is a bit complicated and could differ depending on which part of the Philippines you’re sampling this dish. You have to taste the dish for yourself to know what I’m talking about. Dinuguan is best eaten over steamed white rice.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
8. Soup Number 5
What it is: What’s in this mysterious soup with a number? Simple. Bull’s penis and testicles. It is known for what the locals believe as having aphrodisiac and healing properties. It is however getting increasingly harder to find this dish. According to some sources, there is a handful of restaurants in Chinatown in Manila that still serve this dish.
Taste: It tastes like a typical meat soup with recipes varying from restaurant to restaurant. What stands out is the genital component of this dish which has a spongier texture compared to its more meaty counterparts.
Rating: 3 out of 5
9. Ox Tongue or Lengua Estofado
What it is: Ox tongue braised in tomato sauce
Taste: Next to the Crocodile Sisig, this has to be my second favorite item on this list. First of all, the base is flavorful and simply delicious. The tongue meat, to my surprise, tasted clean, meaty and quite tender. It has a nice balance of chewiness and tenderness to it. Without being told what you’re eating, you would probably ascertain that you’re eating a prime cut of beef.
Rating: 4 out of 5
10. Tuslob Buwa
What it is: Literally, this dish means ‘dipping into bubbles’, which illustrates the way this dish is enjoyed. Typically served as a street food, locals gather around a Tuslob Buwa vendor equipped with a portable wok, where he will cook a mixture of pig’s brain, corn starch, spices and soy sauce. Once the mixture starts to “bubble”, hence the name, people will start dipping hanging rice or puso straight into the rich brain gravy.
Taste: This is such a simple dish but it packs quite a punch when it comes to flavor. The rich thick brown gravy provides a perfect dipping experience for the humble hanging rice. You don’t really taste much of the brain component as the umami between the reduced soy sauce and spices completely overpowers the experience.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Conclusion:
I am a Filipino, born and raised. I grew up with a heart for travel and a longing for new culinary discoveries. I’ve always believed that one’s culinary culture expresses in great depth the tales behind the evolutionary pathway a nation’s history is unfolded. Next time you travel to the Philippines, dare yourself to try something new on this list and add your comments below. After all, food is best experienced, not imagined.
