8 of the Most Bizarre,

Exotic Food

in the Philippines

By Kyzia Maramara

We all know balut is one of the most bizarre food we have in the Metro, but what about in other parts of the country? This list will either make your cringe and say ‘NOPE,’ or make you want to be adventurous and want to satisfy your taste buds. Most of these are definitely acquired taste, but worthy enough to be added to your bucket list!

Kamaru

Find it in: Pampanga

This exotic dish from Pampanga consists of rice field crickets which are pests that farmers harvest to save their crops. The best way to cook these crickets is by cooking it adobo style but locals also fry it. A bite will produce a crunch and then comes the mushy insides of the cricket. The people brave enough to have tried this has likened the taste to that of a shrimp.

Tsulob-Buwa

Find it in: Cebu

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a zombie just for one meal? Tsulob-buwa in Cebu is an exotic dish that is made of pig’s brain and liver best served with rice balls (puso). The brain and the liver are boiled until they’re reduced to a simmering pool of.. exoticness. Tsulob buwa literally means “to dip into bubbles”. They say it tastes better than it looks and that you wouldn’t even guess the ingredients if you weren’t aware. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

Tamilok

Find it in: Palawan

Tamilok is a dish with the main ingredient being woodworms found in mangroves in Palawan. If your taste buds are brave enough, look for a place cooking it in Palawan or, like a local, eat it raw dipped in vinegar. Locals say the taste of the worms is similar to oysters and you can keep it like a mantra in your head as they slide down your throat. It sounds cringe-worthy but it’s something worth trying in Palawan!

Sea Urchin

Find it in: Pangasinan, Bohol

Our parents would tell us to avoid sea urchins while swimming out at sea because they could prick you and the spines would be pretty hard to remove. In Pangasinan, Bohol, and a lot of other places, sea urchins are food. The yellow/orange insides can be eaten raw or kinilaw and they taste like oysters. Sea urchins are considered aphrodisiacs by the way, that might convince you to try one.

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