Food for the “aliens”

ISCHNOCHITON. Photo courtesy of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho Fan Page (www.facebook.com/kapusomojessicasoho)

You might be correct with what you are thinking. But you could be wrong, too.

No, I am not talking about food for the extra terrestrial ones, but yes, I am schmoozing about an exotic fave-of-thy-mouth.

Every time I go home to Maydolong, a small town in Eastern Samar, I always crave for “tarukog”.

Tarukogs are marine mollusks that belong to the genus Ischnochiton (or simply chiton) in class Polyplacophora. This is also known as “sea cradles” or “coat-of-mail shells”. But in Eastern Samar,  tarukog it is.

According to Christopher Taylor, an entomologist, “All living chitons share a similar general morphology with a central linear series of eight overlapping shell valves, surrounded by a fleshy girdle that (depending on species) may or may not be covered with small spicules. They live attached to marine rocks where they graze on algae.”

Rather than appealing, the raw, clinging-hardly-to-rocks tarukog is appalling. The light to dark green and black color mollusk, plus the hard as a rock shell valves at its back are indeed disturbing to the eye. However, the still and soundless tarukogs have something, silently to offer. Their scrumptious meat!

TARUKOG IN COCONUT MILK.
Photo courtesy of Lance Abet

I like it best when it is hinatukan (cooked in coconut milk). After the valve shells and innards are removed and cleaned by boiling (there should be a technique in boiling it, to avoid a rubbery chew!), the clean, (now flesh in color) meat is mixed with coconut milk, slice of onion, and black and red bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Solve!

You can try also an adobo tarukog. After boiling and cleaning it, add the usual ingredients for adobo, and boil it again for few minutes. Now you have something to add in your carte du jour!

CHICHARIFFIC TARUKOG
IN A VINAIGRETTE SAUCE.
Photo courtesy of Qoura Bee

Lastly, you can prepare a chicharon tarukog! After the cleaning procedure, deep fry the tarukogs. Prepare your china with coconut vinegar where to dip your roasting chicharon. And for sure, after closing your eyes because of the vinegary taste, you will open your mouth and say, “Oh, momma! Chichariffic!”.

What creates the palatable delights of a place is the peoples’ pride on their delicacies, which sometimes are unique but nevertheless appetizing. I am not expecting that people will create a Tarukog Festival in the future, but at least, be proud of this nature’s treat.

I have had footed different places in the country. Make the most of Ilocos’ tipmost Pagudpod’s coziness. Cross the Visayan Islands. And captivated with the land of promise, Mindanao. In all breakfast, lunch and dinner in those places, never did I meet tarukog in my plate.

This is a must try for the aliens- our tourists and visitors in Eastern Visayas. Well, if aliens (the extra terrestrial ones) would invade the earth, we can probably serve tarukog on their plates, too. And let us see if they will not say: What the heck is this succulent alien food? More!

TGIF.  Have a happy weekend everyone!

Published in Manila Channel, Sept. 7, 2012. (See: http://www.manilachannel.com/2012/09/07/food-for-the-aliens/)