Deep in the forest Bakawan in the Philippines, under the rotten mangrove trees, no one expected to be the “hiding place” of a “delicious dish” attractive to the indigenous people.
That is Tamilok, also known as woodworm – a slimy-looking mollusk that lives only in dead tree trunks and branches.
This latter species crawls in rotting tree trunks with These can reach up to 30 – 50 cm in length. They thrive in salt water and eat only wood. This creature dies as soon as it comes into contact with air.
The appearance is not very eye-catching, but local people make them into a popular specialty in many places. Aklan or Palawan province in the Philippines.
When a rotten tree is discovered with many wood worms inside, people will cut it in half to get the worms out. Tamilok animals will have their tails removed, squeezing out all the food in their intestines. The quickest and simplest way is to mix them with chili and a bowl of clean water and eat them raw.
For those who have bravely enjoyed Tamilok worms, they taste like raw oysters but the meat is sweeter and the smell is a bit fishy but has The texture is creamy, milky white and has a subtle scent of wood.
To be a bit more elaborate, people will marinate wood worms in nipa coconut vinegar. lime juice, salt, chili and thinly sliced onions. This is a dish with high nutritional value because the Tamilok woodworm is rich in iron, calcium, zinc, vitamins A and B12.
It is known that Filipinos will eat Tamilok worms on major anniversaries. Besides eating it raw, people also bread it in deep-fried bread or bake it. It seems that this way makes people who enjoy it for the first time feel more “comfortable.
Besides, visitors can find Tamilok dishes at street stalls with affordable price. When eating, you should dip it in sauce or mustard. Restaurants also serve this specialty.
Since wood worms became famous, local people harvest large quantities to meet demand. This has led to damage to the mangrove ecosystem.
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