Five Must Philippines

 

Five Must-Try Street Foods in the Philippines Travelers looking for authentic Filipino food in the Philippines need not go to a restaurant; they can easily find it in the streets sold in kiosks or food carts. For just $2 or  even less, you can already feast on several delightful treats with your friends. The streets in the Philippines may not be a sanitary and relaxing place to eat, but it is where you can find delectable Filipino food. The vendors don don’t ’t offer you chairs or seats and often you stand elbow to elbow with other customers while taking your turns to get g et your order. Foreigners who wish to understand unde rstand or adapt the Filipino culture can start by  joining the hungry mob in the streets. 1. Balut is a boiled fertilized duck egg, which is a very popular street snack in the Philippines. It is high in protein and believed to be aphrodisiac. Foreigners may look at it with disgust, but it is an all-time local favorite. What makes it notorious and terrifying is the nearly formed embryo—features like the beak, feathered wings, and the legs are almost evident. It is typically eaten by cracking a small hole first, sprinkling a little salt, and sucking the fluid out. Then, you eat the chick and the yolk. The partially formed chick adds a crunchy texture to it. The egg white is typically hard and bland; some would just skip it. Others love to dip it in vinegar and enjoy munching it. Though it is usually served as a snack or appetizer, but because Filipinos love it so much some are using it as ingredient for their recipes like adobo and soup. Locals would offer it as a rite-of-passage gastronomy to their foreign guests. Some may gag, but others would realize that it is truly delicious. For just 15 to 20 pesos (more or less 46 US cents), you get to enjoy this proteinrich Filipino treat. Isaw is chicken 2. Vendors intestines washed thoroughly insidethe and outand before it is typically boiled, skewered and barbecued isaw serve it cooked. with Filipino vinegar or with a special sweet and spicy black sauce. Other preparation of isaw includes dipping it in a batter and a nd deep-frying. It is then skewered and served with vinegar.

The risk of eating isaw is the possibility of digesting fecal residue. Nevertheless, it is a Filipino favorite. Many locals—students and working class alike—would stop in a nearby stall or cart to have h ave this tasty snack before going h home. ome. You can buy isaw for just two to three pesos (7 US cents). 3. Kwek kwek or tokneneng is another popular street food. It is a hard-boiled quail egg, dip in an orangey batter, and deep-fried. It is sometimes skewered or served

 

in plastic cups. Locals would eat it with spicy vinegar, black sweet gravy, sweet and sour pinkish sauce, or combination. For just 10 pesos (23 US cents) per stick, you can enjoy this delightful dish. 4. Fish balls are popular in many Asian countries coun tries including in China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan. In the Philippines, you can see many fish ball vendors in any corner of the street. Fish balls are made from from pulverized fish meat, either either cuttlefish or pollock. It is usually flat in shape and, sometimes, yellowish in color. It is often served in  bamboo skewers or have it in plastic cups. Fish balls go well with variety of  sauces, depending on your preference—spicy vinegar, sweet gravy, and sweet and sour sauce. Other edible balls you’ll find in the streets include chicken balls, squid balls, and kikiam. 5. Kakanin is actually a collective term used for a variety of rice recipes in the Philippines. Many of these kakanin are very colorful and tempting. A serving or a  pack usually cost around 10 to 25 pesos (23 to 57 US cents). Popular kakanin that you can easily buy in the streets includes puto, suman, and bibingka. Puto is made with glutinous rice, coconut milk or evaporated milk and sugar. It is typically white in color and topped with cheese. You can also find puto with variety of colors and in bite-sizes. Suman is a kakanin made of glutinous rice wrapped in leaves either banana or  coconut leaves. It is served with sugar or grated coconut. It is a perfect snack to go with a hot cocoa drink or coffee. Bibingka is a rice cake made either with glutinous rice or cassava flour, mixed with brown sugar, coconut milk, and margarine.

When you are in the Philippines, walking in the streets can be a gastronomical trip. Some street food like balut may look intimidating at first, but successfully passing the first-time first-time  jitters may overthrow the notion that it is disgusting. disgusting. Prepare your taste buds for a street adventure.