Uncharted Philippines | Four of the Most Unusual Filipino Foods You Must Try

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Four of the Most Unusual Filipino Foods You Must Try

by : Becky Johnson posted : 05 December 2017

You can eat your way through the Filipino cuisine on a Philippine tour and experience some of the most unusual and exciting foods found in Southeast Asia. Whether sampling a fertilized duck egg or fried crickets, you will have an opportunity to challenge your preconceived notions about what food is, and what constitutes a “delicacy” in another country.

Balut

Kicking off the list of most unusual foods is the infamous balut. This Philippine delicacy has become well-known throughout foodie circles and has been showcased on a few TV shows, usually as a food challenge. What is balut? It’s a fertilized duck egg. Sounds simple enough, but this egg contains an embryo that has been incubated for 14-18 days, on average. The embryo is unmistakably a duck and that’s where people get stuck on sampling this popular street food, despite eating chicken and other fowl on a regular basis. The eggs are boiled, which creates a delicious broth and a very creamy and flavorful yolk. Most people who are brave enough to try this dish find it’s delicious.

Papaitan

Hailing from the Ilocos region in the northern Philippines, this popular soup ranks high on the most unusual list of foods. Its primary ingredients are ox and goat entrails, which is not that unique on its own. No, what makes this soup different is the addition of bile, which gives it a somewhat bitter taste. Aficionados of this dish say that it’s an acquired taste and the soup becomes a comfort food, especially on colder nights. You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Adobong Camaro

While this dish sounds innocent, it’s quite an adventure, as camaro are crickets! The mole cricket, specifically, and found abundantly in the rice fields of the Philippines. This protein-packed and savory dish is another unusual food you will find in many regions of the Philippines. The camaro are “cleaned” by removing the heads, feet, and wings and then sauteed or fried adobo style with garlic, onion, tomato, and vinegar. It is a delicious meal, so add this one to your culinary “must try” list.

Soup No. 5

Rounding out the list of unusual Filipino foods is Soup No. 5 (also written as “number five,” or #5). This hearty soup is considered an aphrodisiac as it’s made from the testes and penis of a bull. The connection there is hard to miss. Found in Manila and also as a street food in the Cebu region, it remains a favorite dish for (mostly) male patrons to order. The name is something of a mystery. It has been suggested that the four main soup types were listed on the menu (chicken, pork, beef, seafood) with an allusion to a mysterious fifth option, discreetly leaving the main ingredients a mystery. Either way, this is definitely a soup for the adventurer at heart.

Ready to try some unusual, but delicious and exotic Filipino foods? Uncharted Philippines has tours available for those seeking off-the-grid destinations, as well as unique cuisine and cultural experiences. Discover the magic of the Philippines for yourself.