Glutinous purple mountain rice and exotic Pinikpikan. This is how our adventures started in the laidback town of Sagada… by indulging in local flavors. And it was a savory treat considering it was already three in the afternoon when we arrived and we just spent the last 7 hours on the treacherous roads from Baguio, without any proper meals in between.

What is Pinikpikan?

The controversial Pinikpikan Process – photo credit to Wikipedia

Pinikpikan, which originated from the word pikpik (a process of light beating), is a local delicacy popular in the mountainous region of Cordillera. Simply put, it is a chicken stew with a smoky, salty flavor. What made it special though is the locals’ controversial way of preparing it.

A live chicken is beaten black and blue with a stick, under its wings, to let the blood coagulate and to prevent it from spilling when the chicken is butchered. After this the chicken is killed, its feathers burned off and removed, the meat is cut into smaller pieces then finally cooked. The locals believed that the clotted blood resulting from the beating will add tremendous flavor to the dish.

In the earlier days, the preparation of Pinikpikan is also considered a ritual by the Cordillera tribes to determine their fate and their courses of action. Upon killing the chicken, the bile and the liver will be taken out. After this the tribe leader will perform a sort of “reading” on these organs. A visible bile generally signifies a good omen. Continue reading “SAGADA | The Savory Pinikpikan” »

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Even before we went to Puerto Princesa last March, I was already curious about their exotic delicacy called Tamilok. Actually a mollusk that looks like a worm, they are commonly found in mangroves and are famous among locals  as pulutan.

Before, just the thought of having to eat anything that resembles a worm was enough to make me cringe. Being a medical technologist and having to study them (and the diseases they caused) during our Parasitology classes made me develop an instant aversion for all things worm-related. So when I stumbled on some blogs during my pre-travel research and read about Tamilok and how Palawenos really love them, I became very intrigue.

Somehow traveling and experiencing different cultures tends to change a lot of perspectives and among those are my opinion of this exotic foods.

Facts vs. myths

“ Shipworms (a.k.a Tamilok) are not worms at all, but rather a group of unusual saltwater clams with very small shells, notorious for boring into (and eventually destroying) wooden structures that are immerse in sea water, such as piers, docks and wooden ships. They are sometimes called “termites of the sea”.   – WIKIPEDIA Continue reading “Exotic Fare: Kinilaw na Tamilok” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Joanna Jane Liwag