Kamaru: Rice Field Crickets of Pampanga

This is a guest post from Paula of Magalang, Pampanga.

I grew up here in Pampanga, the culinary capital of the Philippines where both gourmet and indigenous food ingredients exist. I was once a picky eater, but being Kapampangan taught me to eat anything edible and enjoy the abundance of fresh produce in our province.

And yes, I can even feast on exotic foods.

I went to the wet market to buy these creepy-looking insects which we call kamaru or mole crickets. Some refer to them as rice field crickets since they are found mostly on rice fields. They basically feed themselves with the rice grains and leaves. These insects are packed with protein and B vitamins and a lot of people love eating them.

A kilo of kamaru costs about a dollar. I bought one kilo, and did the traditional way of preparing this dish. I washed them thoroughly first, removing all the soil covering them. Then I braised them with vinegar and tomatoes, and sautéed them with a small amount of oil.

When my sizzling sautéed kamaru was done, I immediately indulged into this sumptuous meal. I must say that eating it is an acquired taste. At the first bite, I have sensed some crunchiness and a little mushiness. I could taste the juices coming out.

I do admit that eating crickets is a little gross, but maybe I am just used to munching on these weird-looking creatures already. For adventurous foodies, I highly recommend kamaru. It will tickle your taste buds and will definitely widen your gastronomical experience.