Philippine Superlative Foods: From the Tallest Trees to the Tiniest Fish

The Philippines, an archipelago blessed with diverse ecosystems and biomes, is home to an incredible range of species, many of which represent nature’s extremes or superlatives. From the tallest trees to the tiniest fish, these species offer unique foods that reflect the country’s rich biodiversity.

𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴, or Toog, the Philippines’ largest tree species, provides ubod (the tender heart of young shoots) which is consumed as a vegetable. The seeds are also reported to be edible and are said to taste like peanuts. The second tallest tree in the country, 𝘒𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘢, known locally as ginoo or manggis. Its seeds, with a taste reminiscent of a cross between watermelon and sunflower seeds, are enjoyed by the locals of Palawan, either roasted or sweetened with sugar. Both species are two of the most tallest tropical rainforest trees in the world.

In coastal areas, the 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘯𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘴 and other species from genus 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘯𝘢, a group of the largest living bivalve mollusks locally known as manlut or taklobo, is traditionally prepared as kinilaw. However, many species of giant clams are now threatened and are protected by law. A giant of the reefs, the 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘮, or humphead parrotfish or molmol, is the largest species of parrotfish and the largest herbivorous fish in coral reefs, also hunted and consumed in some regions. The 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘰, or coconut crab or tatus, is the largest terrestrial arthropod, is considered a delicacy in areas like Batanes and Caluya, Antique. An adult tatus can weigh up to 4 kilos and span up to 3 feet across, though human exploitation has made such sizes rare.

In freshwater ecosystems, we have the 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘪, or ulang/urang (giant river prawn), the largest species of Macrobrachium and one of the largest freshwater prawns globally. At the other end of the spectrum is the world’s smallest commercial edible fish, the 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘶𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, or sinarapan. This tiny fish is endemic to the lakes of the Bicol Region, including Lake Buhi and Lake Bato, Lakelets Manapao and Katugday, in Camarines Sur, and Lake Danao in Albay. So small that a specialized net called sarap is used to catch them, sinarapan is typically cooked with coconut milk, stewed, or sun-dried into thin sheets for frying.