Eats Alive! Filipino foods best served alive and kicking

Food doesn't have to be cooked to be delicious; at least, according to those who like raw food. And while most Filipinos like fresh ingredients, there are a few hardcore gourmands who enjoy their food while it's literally still alive. A recent episode of the GMA Public Affairs program “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” featured some of the Philippines' strangest and tastiest live eats.

In the coastal municipality of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, a favorite delicacy of many locals is tarukoy, a kind of small crab that's best eaten while it can still crawl. The residents harvest tarukoy from small holes in the sand on the beach. After catching the tarukoy, the residents dip the crabs in vinegar and pepper, and eat them alive. It can be a little painful to eat tarukoy raw. Residents of Narvacan say the tarukoy often tries to escape from the diner’s mouth when it's being eaten. But since the crab is so delicious, they don’t mind the inconvenience. Another favorite raw food for some Ilocanos is bagsang, a kind of small river-dwelling fish. This fish is typically dipped in vinegar and pepper before being eaten alive. Aside from bagsang, there is also a famous local delicacy in Ilocos, the jumping salad, which is made of raw live shrimps flavored with salt and calamansi. Despite its constituents’ fondness for raw food, the Municipal Health Officer of Narvacan in Ilocos Sur is quick to note that it is still better to cook food properly, to avoid illnesses like gastroenteritis and diarrhea, which can be caused by bacteria from uncooked food. But there will always be more than a few Filipino foodies willing to risk a stomachache for the pleasure of devouring these fresher-than-fresh treats. —Angel Bombarda/PF, GMA News