Every nation has its own unique and exotic food to offer. In the Philippines, some provinces are perfect destinations for adventurous eaters. These are places with diverse cultural and culinary traditions that have created unique dishes that tantalize taste buds.
In Cagayan, aside from its beautiful and pristine natural spots as well as its humble and hospitable people, there are other reasons to visit the province. One of them is its summer exotic gastronomic delights.
Here are 10 of the must-try exotic foods in Cagayan.
1. ‘Buos’ or Red Ants’ Eggs
Harvesting ‘buos’ is quite a challenge. These are usually found in the forest or on robust tree branches. It is rare and seasonal, and can only be tasted during summer.
Preparing the ‘buos’ dish is very simple. It is usually sautéed or stir-fried with slices of garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Cooking the eggs is brief, you know it’s done when they become more translucent and shrunk a little more than their raw size.
Some research concludes that ‘Buos’ is an antioxidant and an alternative source of animal protein but one should be careful when eating these exotic foods as they are potential food allergens.
2. ‘Ganta’ or Grasshopper
Edible grasshoppers are abundant during harvest season, both in rice and corn plants. Usually, grasshoppers from rice plants are smaller and colored green, while those gathered from corn plants are usually brown and slightly bigger. It is usually crunchy fried.
Studies say ganta has higher protein content than many other animal and plant sources and has higher fat content than meat and fish.
3. ‘Basikul’ or Snail
The ‘basikul’ are gathered in ponds, rice fields, and rivers. There are plenty of ways to cook snails. Most of the Ibanags and Ilokanos love adobo and crispy kuhol. Others also like ‘ginataan’ cooked in coconut milk and sautéed snails with green leafy vegetables. The snails in the diet are rich in calcium, protein, fiber, and lots of vitamins.
4. ‘Birut’ or Smallish Freshwater Fish
This tiny fish is abundant in the upstream rivers of Cagayan. They are perhaps one of the favorites of visitors in the province. This river fish is best stewed with lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, and vinegar. It may be wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or dipped in spiced flour and deep fried to a crunchy treat.
‘Birut’ contains a lot of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, such as zinc, chromium, and fluorine.
5. ‘Abalin’ or Beetle Grub
Abalin is the larva of the abal-abal (cornfield beetle grub). These are usually found and gathered in cornfields with loom soils or near river banks during corn planting season.
Abalin is a popular exotic food, especially in Cagayan, enjoyed and considered a special delicacy by both Ibanags, Itawits, and the Ilokanos. It is cooked stir-fried and can be taken as a snack. It is rich in protein but is also considered a food allergen.
6. ‘Asimuwa’ or June Beetle Grub
The asimuwa is the adult of the abalin. They can be gathered only every May up to June when the rainy season begins. Unlike abalin which can only be dugged up from the soil, asimuwa comes out from the soil at twilight. This is a rare delicacy that can only be tasted once a year. Mostly, it is sauteed or stir-fried but some love ‘kinamatisang asimuwa’.
7. ‘Sihin’ or Freshwater Eel
Eels are bottom dwellers. They hide in burrows, tubes, snags, masses of plants, and other types of shelters. They are found in a variety of habitats including streams, rivers, and muddy or silt-bottomed lakes during their freshwater stage.
Aetas in the upstream areas of Cagayan, especially in Peñablanca town are experts in catching ‘sihin’. Fresh ‘sihin’ can be cooked in coconut milk, sinigang, or paksiw. Others sun dry it to make it a crunchy fried snack or breakfast dish.
8. ‘Ararawan’ or Mole Cricket
Ararawan is also called field cricket as it is picked from plowed rice fields during the rainy season. Gathering ararawan is an adventure for kids. At the advent of the rice planting season and farmers are busy preparing the fields, children follow them and their carabaos to chase the ararawans. This edible insect can be fried, sauteed, or cooked as adobo.
9. ‘Sekuya’ or Edible Farm Frog
This edible frog is abundant during the rainy season. You can hear their loud sound at night time right after a heavy downpour of rain. There are different ways to cook ‘sekuya’ – adobo, fried, ginataan, sour soup, or sinampalukan.
10. ‘Silay’ or Monitor Lizard
These animal species can only be found in the forest. This fruit-eating monitor lizard is an exotic delicacy in the province. Some say it tastes like chicken when it is cooked as adobo – the best recipe out of ‘Silay’ meat.
These crazy exotic foods may look weird but are part of the province’s culture. Some consider them pests in their agricultural plants but to many, they are blessings from above.
Are you an adventurous eater? Come and visit Cagayan this summer and have a taste of these mouth-watering exotic gastronomic delights of the Ibanags, Itawits, and Ilokanos. (OTB/PIA Region 2)
