Exotic food is any food that a person finds it strange or unfamiliar. It can be an unusual type of meats, fruits, vegetables or  spices. Exotic foods are found all around the world and that makes a country unique and popular for its distinct taste and preparation.

Lots of exotic foods can be found in any place or province in the Philippines and the foods that are somehow unusual to others are:

Chicken feet/Adidas, Betamax, Isaw, and Chicken Head
These street foods are placed in a barbecue stick and grilled. Betamax is made from coagulated chicken blood and grilled. Isaw is a chicken intestine that is cleansed. It is better to dip in a vinegar or sweet sauce to add more flavor.

 

Balut
Balut is very famous in Philippines. It is a hard-boiled duck egg which is fertilized and allowed to develop from 16 to 20 days before it’s cooked. By this point, the embryo will have become distinctly ducklike, sometimes complete with body parts like eyes, beaks, and feathers. You are essentially eating a duck fetus in utero. It is best to sprinkle some salt or vinegar before eating it.

 

Kuhol
Kuhol is an edible species of snail that’s often cooked in gata (coconut cream). It contains protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, riboflavin, and niacin.

 

Tamilok (Shipworm or Woodworm)
Tamilok is a bivalve mollusk that is attached in mangroves and often found in the provinces of Palawan and Aklan. They look like worms inside, but they taste like the typical oyster. It can be eaten fresh or soaked in either vinegar or calamansi juice with bits of ginger, and minced garlic.

 

Adobong Salagubang (June Bug)
The ‘salagubang’ is a delicacy loved by locals in Nueva Ecija, especially during the rainy season and when cooked as an adobo dish. It can be served as an appetizer or as pulutan (food served with alcoholic drinks, usually beer).

 

Betute Tugak (Stuffed frog)
This food is quiet popular in Pampanga. The stuffed frog is called betute because of its bulging filled belly that makes tugak (frog) to look like a betute (puffer fish). The breast of the frog is filled with sautéed ground pork, season it with salt and pepper, and deep-fry the frog.

Dinuguan
A stew that is popular in all parts of the Philippines. It is made out of pig’s blood that is usually mixed with pork offal (typically with lungs, kidneys, intestines, ears, heart, and snout). When the blood is cooked, it will turn out to look like a chocolate gravy.

Adobong Kamaru (Mole Crickets)
Another peculiar dish from Pampanga. It’s probably one of the best culinary traditions in that province. Kamaru is often found in rice fields and it can be a little bit of a pest. It is cooked like a typical adobo, but the main ingredient is the Kamaru. It goes very well with cold beer and locals loved it.