Uok

Adobong uok 

Beetle larvae may not sound very appetizing at first, but uok cooked as adobo served with rice and tomatoes is considered an exotic delicacy. One restaurant that serves this dish is Balaw-Balaw Restaurant in Angono, Rizal.

Who would have thought that this bizarre looking dish would be so much enjoyed not only by the Filipinos but also tourists coming from different parts of the globe?

Uok (native term) is basically a coconut rhinoceros beetle larva which can be found in dead coconut logs. This fat, eerie worm can be eaten raw just like what the natives do in the forest. This creepy creature is best when cooked in adobo style which is called "Adobong Uok" and is very tempting and mouth-watering despite of its worm-like appearance. This exotic dish is very popular in some of the places in the Philippines.

Adobong Uok was already featured in the show of Andrew Zimmern called "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern" in Travel and Living Channel, where he described the taste as glutinous and earthy.

When I watched that episode, I was so delighted to try it for myself because I am really a big enthusiast of exotic foods. The sense of tasting a gelatinous, sour, salty, and spicy adobong uok makes me crave more for it.

This dish is being cooked with vinegar, soy sauce, and pepper. It is not eaten in an ordinary way. The head should be removed first before sipping the inside of it.

It is popular in some restaurants which serves native and unusual dishes. This unusual dish would really suit for those people who are very adventurous in feasting up bizarre foods like me.