Considered as normal fare for some, but "gross" for others, here are some exotic Filipino dishes you may not have heard of:
1. Kamaru
A delicacy in Pampanga, kamaru is a dish whose main ingredient is rice crickets. The rice crickets are soaked in water or vinegar first so that all the dirt they contain is removed. To make the dish less offensive to some, the extremities of the bugs are removed. The crickets are cooked adobo-style.
2. Tamilok
Found in the mangrove swamps of Palawan, tamilok or woodworm, digs itself into the barks of the native bakawan where it is able to find protection and sustenance. The taste of the tamilok is very similar to that of oysters, and like oysters, they are best served raw or as a ceviche.
3. Gotong Batangas
While many of us know ‘goto’ as rice porridge with tripe, the Gotong Batangas does away with the rice and instead, replaces it with even more beef innards. More of a stew than porridge, the dish contains tripe, intestines, heart and other delectably iron-y innards.
4. Pinikpikan
The name and dish don’t sound too threatening; however, it is the process by which the pinikpikan is made that makes it sound downright cruel especially for animal rights activists and others who do not live in the Cordilleras.
Traditionally, tribes from the area take a live chicken and beat it with a stick before slaughtering and cooking it in open fire. This process is done in order to help the blood coagulate – particularly in the wings and the neck.
5. Abuos or buos
The abuos or buos is a prized, seasonal dish from Adams, Ilocos Norte. Made of weaver ants and ant eggs, the dish is typically sautéed with onions, garlic and tomatoes. The dish is done cooking when the eggs, which seem bigger than ant’s eggs should be, shrivel and become transparent.
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