We all know that the Philippines is home to an amazing variety of food, from savory and tasty viands to scrumptious snacks and desserts. Now, let’s talk about a very popular member of one of the Philippines best kept secrets, our street food. Chicken Isaw is one the most popular snacks.

Chicken Isaw, popular street food

Grilled chicken intestines, locally called as Isaw, is one of the top sellers of the Philippine street food group. It is usually sold by vendors on every possible street corner which normally starts in the afternoon. Chicken Isaw is something that you can eat as a snack partnered with a spicy vinegar, or something that you can munch on when having an iced cold beer with friends, or just simply eat it with rice.

As it is something that is very popular here in the Philippines, many household would just buy the chicken intestines and make their own Chicken Isaw at home, using their family recipe and grill it to perfection and love. Chicken intestines can be bought from all major super markets or just simply go to your town’s major chicken intestine supplier (I’m pretty sure that there is one on every town).

Here’s a quick guide on how to make your very own Chicken Isaw at home.

Materials needed:

• Grill
• Charcoal
• Barbeque brush
• Barbeque stick
• Boiling pot
• Mixing bowl

Ingredients for Chicken Isaw:

• 5lbs chicken intestines
  • You can buy them already cleaned
  • If you want to make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned, you can also do that at home, turn it inside out and rinse through running water or run water through it using a small water hose
  • You can also boil them before adding the marinade and or cooking – optional, I prefer not to boil before the marinade
• 1tbsp ground pepper
• 2tbsp salt
• 1cup vinegar
• 8pcs dried bay leaf
• 1/3cup Ketchup
• 1/4cup soy sauce
• 4tbsp sugar
• 3cups water
• 3tbsp cooking oil
• Sauce – 1cup vinegar, 1 red onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, chili and 3tbsp sugar

Directions:

• Before adding the marinade or boiling it, I highly recommend to skewer the intestines first, just to make sure that it is already set on the stick and will not break in to small pieces when grilled
• Boil the water, add in the salt, the pepper and dried bay leaves, let it boil for 5 mins, stir and add in the skewered intestines, simmer for 3mins
• Add the vinegar, simmer in low heat for 20 minutes more, once done, remove the intestines and let it cool.
• In a separate bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar, ketchup, cooking oil and add 2tbsp vinegar, mix well and marinade the skewered intestines for 15mins
• Prepare the grill while marinating the intestines
• Grill the intestines until it turns reddish brown
• For the vinegar sauce
  Combine all ingredients and heat for 5mins, let cool, serve and get ready to dip those tasty Chicken Isaw

This amazing delicacy will sure give you and your friends another reason to love the Philippines.