EXOTIC AND WEIRD FOODS IN THE PHILIPPINES

WEIRD FOOD IN THE PHILIPPINES

Kamaro

Filipinos eat dog, frogs, civet cats, monitor lizards, snakes, fruit bats, locusts, ant eggs and mole crickets. Early researchers recorded many examples of unusual animals being eaten in the Philippines such as snails, snakes (principally the python) and lizards (principally the iguana). Under Marcos, poor people were encouraged to improve their lives by eating earthworms and snails for protein. Grilled tuna jaws are popular in Mindanao. Dog meat is a delicacy throughout the country. It is now illegal to sell dog meat at markets because cases of rabies have occurred when the dog’s brains were eaten. Dog is also eaten in China, Korea, Vietnam and other countries.

One badge of being accepted into Filipino culture is partaking in a salty paste made of tiny shrimp called bagoong. Filipinos are delighted when foreigners eat and enjoy bagoong because its overpowering aroma often puts foreigners off. [Source: “Culture Shock!: Philippines” by Alfredo Roces and Grace Roces, Marshall Cavendish International, 2010]

Dinuguan at Puto is black dish of pork and pig innards stewed in fresh pig blood seasoned with garlic, onion and oregano and eaten with a white puto (rice cake) or steamed rice. It does not look appetizing but is a comforting dish for many Filipinos.” Dinuguan is a well-known savory stew whose rich flavor contrasts with the mild sweetness of puto, making the pairing a traditional favorite. [Source: Maida Pineda, Candice Lopez-Quimpo, CNN March 6, 2012 ]

Betute is a specialty from Pampanga in which a frog is stuffed with minced pork and deep-fried until crisp. The dish reflects the culinary creativity of Kapampangan cooks, who are widely regarded as among the finest in the Philippines. As one description notes, “The French may have turned frogs’ legs into a delicacy, but Filipinos take it to the next level.” Although frog dishes are uncommon in Manila, they are more frequently found in nearby Pampanga, where frog meat may also be used in soups such as tinola, a ginger-based broth typically cooked with green papaya and chili pepper leaves.

Balut is one of the Philippines’ most famous—and sometimes controversial—street foods. It consists of a fertilized duck egg containing a partially developed embryo, usually around 17 days old, which is boiled and eaten directly from the shell. Street vendors often attract customers by calling out “Baluuuuut!” while selling the eggs. The dish is typically seasoned with rock salt or spicy vinegar and is often eaten as a snack, sometimes accompanied by beer. See Below

Kuhol sa Gata is a dish made from freshwater snails simmered in coconut milk with leafy vegetables and spices. The snails are served in their shells, and diners use a small fork or toothpick to extract the meat. The rich coconut sauce gives the dish a creamy flavor, and it is commonly served as an appetizer or snack, though it can also be eaten with steamed rice.

Kamaro is a delicacy from Pampanga made from mole crickets. Preparing the dish requires careful cleaning, including removing the insects’ legs and wings. The bodies are then boiled with vinegar and garlic before being sautéed with oil, onions, and tomatoes until they become dark brown and aromatic. The finished dish is often served as a bite-sized appetizer, known for its crunchy exterior and tender interior, and reflects the adventurous and inventive character of Kapampangan cuisine.

Balut — the Filipino Delicacy That Makes Some Gag

balut

Balut is a a popular street food in the Philippines made from an incubated duck egg — with the duck embryo still intact — and then boiled in water and salt for 20 to 30 minutes. Many Filipino men drink gin and beer accompanied by balut, Fertilized duck eggs with embryos in various stages of development are consumed as an aphrodisiac by Filipinos, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Justin Calderon of CNN wrote: “ Despite being an object of culinary fascination around the world, balut — a popular Filipino food — is no beauty queen. The 18-day-old fertilized duck egg has revolted even the most daring foodies with its carnal textures, earning it lofty rankings on many a "most disgusting/strange/terrifying food" list. While food journalists commonly label balut as the Philippines' "much loved delicacy," in reality Filipinos are decidedly split over their nation's oft-sung snack. [Source: Justin Calderon, CNN, February 7, 2014 ***]

“Acceptance of balut often depends on exposure at a young age, much like Vegemite in Australia. In an apparent attempt to preserve the delicacy's popularity among the country's rapidly modernizing and discriminating palates, some schools in the Philippines introduce balut to young students during science classes. Students use balut to study the anatomy of birds, then eat the compressed bird beak, veins and developing wings within. "Our teacher made us eat the egg so it wouldn't go to waste," says Manila resident Anna Vecin of her ordeal. "And if we didn't eat it, we'd get a low score on that day's lesson. Of course, I had no choice but to eat it." The experience can leave some with a lifelong aversion to the so-called national delicacy. ***

“Even balut's tamer cousin, penoy — an unfertilized duck egg billed as a less carnal option, given that it lacks the semi-developed chick within — can be hard to stomach. For others, balut's combination of savory soup, fresh meaty bird and warm yolk is a revelation. "My dad had a duck farm once upon a time in Binangonan, Rizal, so at some point growing up, we had a lot of them at home," recalls Cheryl Tiu, a Manila-based writer. "My mom's parents always enjoyed eating it, thus it got passed on to her and her siblings, and then down to us. My favorite part is the soup. And then I dip the yolk in rock salt. "Today though, I'm not sure if I can eat the whole chick anymore, unlike when I was much younger." ***

“The dish is particularly popular among Filipino families with ethnic Chinese backgrounds. Balut is also widely enjoyed across numerous provinces in China, especially in the south. Like many Chinese dishes, balut comes with a list of putative health benefits. Among these, it's claimed balut can boost male fertility and libido. New York Filipino restaurant Maharlika offers the delicacy for $5 a pop. The restaurant hosts an annual balut eating contest, held every August. the 2013 winner knocked back 27 balut in five minutes.” ***

Viral TikTok Video Shows Cardi B’s Attempt to Eat Balut

In March 2024, rap superstar Cardi B tried balut for the first time in a viral video posted on TikTok. The clip quickly gained widespread attention, amassing more than 8.1 million views within the first few days after it was posted. In the video, the 31-year-old performer cracks open the egg with a spoon and adds a mixture of salt, pepper, and lemon before sipping the warm broth inside. She then attempts to taste the yolk, but the flavor appears to overwhelm her, prompting her to spit it out and stop eating. [Source: Bryan Ke, NextShark, March 8, 2024]

Cardi B—whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Cephus—tells viewers candidly that the dish was not to her liking. She describes the taste of the balut as “too gamey” and similar to “uncooked chicken.” However, she notes that she enjoyed the broth inside the egg, commenting that it tasted good.

Although she initially says that she plans to rate the experience, she ultimately declines to give it a numerical score. Instead, she concludes, “I’m not even gonna rate it from one to 10 — I’m just gonna say ‘It’s just not for me, but I’m so glad I tried it.’” She also adds, “Maybe I did it wrong. Maybe I need to eat it from somebody who knows how to cook it [because] I couldn’t.”

Reactions from viewers on TikTok were largely supportive. Many users praised the singer for her honesty and respectful reaction to the well-known Filipino delicacy. One commenter wrote, “I’m Filipino and just… ain’t no way but love how brave and respectful you are.” Other users expressed similar sentiments. One wrote, “This is how you respectfully review food that you don’t like,” while another commented, “I hope people don’t come for her for her reaction. Some ppl are naturally dramatic. She’s brave for trying this delicacy.”

Dogs and Cats as Food in the Philippines

Animalpeoplenews.org reported: "Based on numerous inquiries made to various sources nationwide," anti-corruption crusader Freddie Farres of Linis Gobyerno said, "it would appear that cat eating is not big here. Although we have heard of some personal consumption," Farres said, "there is no commercial traffic in cats for meat, unlike with the dog trade. Some 25 years ago a rumor was spread that a well known Chinese restaurant in the Philippines was caught unloading a truckload of dead cats who were supposedly to be used as ingredients for their siopao. There was a strong backlash against the restaurant, and their siopao sales collapsed. The incident is remembered to this day. " [Source: animalpeoplenews.org]

As to dog consumption," Farres continued, "we have researched the parts of the country which we believe account for 90 percent or more of the dog meat traffic. Our actual survey of the number of stores and restaurants selling dog meat, including wholesale vendors, indicates that in the Baguio City and Cordillera region about 24,166 dogs per month are killed for meat, or about 289,992 dogs per year."

According to humanbreeds.com: “Do Filipinos eat dogs? The answer is that 99 percent of the Filipinos do not, but what about the other 1 percent or even less. Many Filipino find this stereotype very offensive (sorry) and would probably deny this. However, after discussing this “Stereotype” with my one of my close Filipino friends, i got to know the truth. This stereotype has originated from the fact that many homeless and drunk individuals in extremely poor areas do hunt and eat dogs as means of survival. No one would deny that this is a brutal and sickening act, but isn’t killing chicken fish and cows as brutal too? Well… as human beings, we justify all our cruelty by calling it “survival”… and hey, guess what, familiar cruelty sounds more acceptable than the shocking unfamiliar cruelty which is unknown to us… wow.. this has just turned too serious… back to our topic… Filipinos. [Source: humanbreeds.com, February 7, 2014]

Insects as Food in the Philippines

Early researchers recorded many examples of insects being eaten in the Philippines. According to Gibbs and colleagues (1912), who received information from W. Schultze of the Philippine Bureau of Science, people in different parts of the islands ate a wide variety of insect. The authors wrote that “in various parts of the Islands locusts, beetles and their larvae, bees, and crickets” and some “of these are highly regarded as delicacies.” These included insects such as grasshoppers or locusts (Acrididae), beetles (Coleoptera), bee larvae (Apis spp.), and crickets (Gryllidae). [Source: “Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource”,Professor Gene R. De Foliart (1925-2013), Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002]

Later research also described similar practices among upland communities. Bender (1975) wrote that “The Ifugao of the Philippines eat three species of dragonfly (Odonata) and locusts (Acrididae). These are boiled, dried, and powdered.” He also noted that people enjoyed red ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), giant water bugs (Lethocerus indicus), beetles (Coleoptera), and flying ants (Formicidae), which were often fried in lard. [Source: “Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource”,Professor Gene R. De Foliart (1925-2013), Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002]

A newspaper report from La Trinidad in Benguet described how edible insects helped provide food for families in the Cordillera highlands of northern Luzon. During difficult economic times, many families mixed insects with rice to make simple meals rich in protein. Entomologists from the Mountain State Agricultural College found that eating insects helped supply needed nutrients for people who could not afford expensive meat or fish. The researchers also noted that insect eating was an old tradition among many highland communities, both as a food source and as a way to control pests that damaged crops.

The study identified several insects that were commonly eaten in the Cordillera region. These included June beetles (Phyllophaga spp.), grasshoppers (Acrididae), ants (Formicidae), mole crickets (Gryllotalpa spp.), water beetles (Dytiscidae), katydids (Tettigoniidae), locusts (Acrididae), and dragonfly larvae (Odonata). People prepared them in many ways, such as frying them in oil, roasting them, cooking them with vegetables, or preparing them in Filipino dishes like adobo or paksiw. In some markets the insects were sold by the tin can, usually costing about one to two pesos per can at the time.

Other observers reported that insect eating was not common everywhere in the Philippines. During a six-year stay in the country, Starr (1991) noted that insects were rarely a regular part of the diet among Christian lowland Filipinos, who make up most of the population. He also seldom saw insects sold in markets. However, certain species were occasionally eaten as special or seasonal foods.

Similarly, Tom Mester, who served in the Peace Corps in the Philippines during the 1970s, reported that he did not personally see people eating insects during his time there, although he later observed the practice in West Africa. These accounts suggest that insect consumption in the Philippines has generally been limited to certain regions, ethnic groups, or situations rather than being widespread across the entire country.

Beetles as Food in the Philippines

Hydrous picicornis are large aquatic beetles from the water scavenger beetle family (Hydrophilidae) that have long been eaten in parts of the Philippines. They are known as obus in Visayan and alukap in Ilocano. Only the adult beetles are eaten. According to early reports, the wings and legs are first removed, and the insects are then either boiled or roasted before eating. [Source: “Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource,” Professor Gene R. De Foliart (1925–2013), Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2002]

Scarab beetles (Lepidiota species) are also eaten in the Philippines. Several scarab beetles from the family Scarabaeidae are also eaten. These include sibung (Lepidiota punctum) and salagubang (Lepidiota pulverulenta), as well as Lepidiota irrorata. People usually eat them only in the adult stage. Like other edible beetles, the wings and legs are removed before the insects are boiled or roasted.

Rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros) are known locally as u-ang. They are eaten in their larval stage rather than as adults. The larvae are collected from decaying wood or coconut trunks and cooked before being eaten. In many places they are considered a rich and filling food.

Rainy-Season Beetles are consumed in Zambales. A former Peace Corps volunteer reported that the Sambal Negrito communities near Cabangan in Zambales collect certain beetles at the beginning of the rainy season. The adults emerge from the ground and are easily caught. After roasting, they become crunchy and are “munchy” and valued as a delicacy.

June beetles (Melolonthinae) are among the most commonly eaten insects in some parts of northern Luzon. In the city of Laoag, they are often cooked in vinegar and soy sauce after the legs, heads, and front body parts are removed. This cooking style is the familiar Filipino method called adobo. During the season when they are plentiful, June beetles may even be sold in local markets.

Jewel weevils (Pachyrrhynchus moniliferus) are eaten on Mindoro. An entomology researcher once described being offered roasted python and boiled beetles while visiting a family in the forests of Occidental Mindoro. He later identified the beetles as a type of jewel weevil. He recalled that “I ate both the python which rather tasted like chicken and the beetles which in all honesty were not bad at all.” The beetles had their legs removed and were boiled in oil before being served.

Bees and Ants as Food in the Philippines

Honey bees (Apis dorsata and other Apis species): In the Philippines, people do not only collect honey from honey bees—they also eat the honeycombs that contain the bee larvae. Early reports note that these combs, filled with developing bees, are considered a delicacy in some places. The giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) is known locally as pukyutan. In the Los Baños area, hives are sometimes stolen because the brood-filled combs are prized as food. [Source: “Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource”,Professor Gene R. De Foliart (1925-2013), Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002]

Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) are one of the few ants commonly eaten in parts of the Philippines. According to one observer, farmers sometimes harvest them when new queens are being produced. They cut open the ants’ silk nests and collect the falling young ants. The observer described his experience eating them in a village in northern Luzon: “When I was served stir-fried weaver ants in a village on the northern coast of Luzon I found quite a heterogeneous mixture. At that time of year we had ants at every meal in that village, to my delight.” Harvesting the ants is difficult because the aggressive worker ants bite and spray formic acid when disturbed.

Termites (Macrotermes gilvus) are not widely reported as food in the Philippines, but one species that may sometimes be eaten is the large mound-building termite (Macrotermes gilvus). These termites produce large numbers of winged reproductive adults during their mating season. Because the colonies are so large, they can release big swarms that could be collected as food when they emerge.

Grasshoppers, Locusts and Crickets as Food in the Philippines

Locusts (Locusta migratoria and related species) have long been eaten in the Philippines. When the English traveler William Dampier visited the Batan Islands in 1687, he described how local people caught swarms of locusts that were eating their crops. He wrote: “They had another Dish made of a sort of locusts… the Natives would go out with small Nets, and take a quart at one sweep.” After catching them, the insects were roasted in an earthen pan until the wings and legs fell off and “their Heads and Backs would turn red like boil'd Shrimps.” Dampier added, “I did once eat of this Dish, and liked it well enough.” [Source: “Human Use of Insects as a Food Resource”,Professor Gene R. De Foliart (1925-2013), Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002]

Locusts were also reported as regular food among Moro communities. Early accounts say the insects were caught in nets when they swarmed over potato vines and then dried or roasted in a pan. Once cooked, “the legs and wings fall off, and the heads and backs… turn red like boiled shrimps.”

Later reports say both young locusts (called lukton) and adult locusts (called balang) were eaten, usually fried. In some areas people prize them as food, while in other places they are not eaten at all. Locust outbreaks sometimes bring huge swarms that destroy crops, but they also provide a large source of food. One observer noted that locusts appear to be the most commonly eaten insect in the Philippines, especially during outbreaks when even people who normally do not eat insects will collect and cook them.

In some parts of the country, locusts are cooked adobo-style. The wings and legs are removed, the bodies are briefly boiled, then fried in oil until crisp. They are often served with tomatoes, small red onions (lasona), and bagoong. During a major locust outbreak in 1994, farmers in some areas even organized harvesting campaigns. The insects were sold for human food, animal feed, and fish feed, and cooking contests were held to find the best locust recipes.

Grasshoppers Grasshoppers are also eaten in many parts of the Philippines and are considered a favorite food in some areas. Because people collect them for food, farmers may avoid spraying them with insecticides. Grasshoppers are also fed to free-range chickens. Chickens that eat natural foods like insects are said to taste better and often sell for higher prices than chickens raised on commercial feed.

Mole crickets (Gryllotalpa species) are another edible insect, especially in northern Luzon. People sometimes gather them in rice fields during organized hunts. There has even been interest in raising mole crickets as a regular food source.

In Pampanga, mole crickets are used to make a well-known dish called kamaro. According to CNN, “What makes this delicacy special? Well if catching these bugs is tough, so is cooking them. Legs and wings must be removed, then the body is boiled in vinegar and garlic. It's then sautéed in oil, onion and chopped tomatoes until chocolate brown. These bite-size appetizers are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.”

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; “Culture Shock!: Philippines” by Alfredo Roces and Grace Roces, Marshall Cavendish International, 2010; Metropolitan Museum of Art; National Geographic, Live Science, Philippines Department of Tourism, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated March 2026