Filipino Cuisine: Dried Fish
While I wouldn't be the person calling Filipino dried fish (tuyo in Tagalog) a cuisine, many Filipinos would beg to differ with me. I'll explain exactly what Filipino dried fish is once I tell you about some of my experiences regarding it.
Filipino Dried Fish in Yuma, Arizona
Prior to getting married to my wife in 1985, I had never tasted or smelled Filipino dried fish. One day when my wife and I were living in our first apartment, in January of 1985, she started cooking some dried fish. I don't remember where she got it. I think one of the other Filipinas living in the apartment complex had brought some back from San Diego, California.
Our apartment was on the second floor and the front door and picture window were adjacent to an outdoor hallway that looks more like a sidewalk — kind of what the Motel 6 looks like. The smell of the dried fish while cooking was horrible, at least in my opinion, but tolerable. Our next-door apartment neighbors didn't think so. The wife came out of her apartment, said something like "What's that smell?", ran back into her apartment and closed her window (that was just like ours).
Filipino Dried Fish in the Philippines
Between 1985 and 2006, I avoided Filipino dried fish like the plague. I had tasted it at least once and it was way too salty to even taste the fish.
Ever since I've lived here, after moving here in 2006, I have smelled the dried fish and watched relatives munching down on it as ulam (main dish) with their rice. I can eat it now without wanting to spit it out, but I still prefer not to eat it at all. The smell doesn't bother me anymore either.
What exactly is Filipino dried fish?
I don't know exactly what species is used, but it's a corned, sun-dried fish that's popular with Filipinos because it won't spoil for weeks, even without refrigeration. The fish are very small, the size of goldfish and they're eaten whole.
They're extremely salty, but most Filipinos like salty foods. I only like salt on french fries, popcorn and as seasoning on certain food. I like the taste of fish, not the taste of the salt. I even like canned tuna better than dried fish.
(Image Source: Everyday Food: 11 Little Tuyo)
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Some foods you just have to eat growing up – you can't develop a taste for them as an adult.
Oh yes tuyo is a hard one to get used to. I can stand the smell. I'm not to the point of being able to eat it yet though. Probably never will!
It sounds a bit like sardines or anchovies. I get a few comments sometimes when I eat a can of sardines at my desk at work.
I also like anchovies on pizza, especially with pepperoni and jalapeños. I got introduced to this interesting combo while I was stationed at Quantico and I've been ordering it ever since.
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hi RT,
I didn't know there was so much to know about Filipino dried fish. I'm glad I didn't live next to you in Arizona! I like fish, but I prefer fresh fish, and I learned to grill it on the outdoor barbeque instead of cooking it inside. I had a roommate long ago that would fry fish on the stove – our place would then smell like fish for the next week or so.
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I thought the point of preparing fish was to get rid of the fishy taste. If it is so salty that you can't taste the fish, then you must have done alright.
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I like fresh fish, but I find even the smell of that a bit off putting. I certainly couldn't eat a tin of sardines Frank C, but they are OK on toast. I don't like the hairy bones in anchovies however they do dissolve and become a good basic ingredient for a great sauce.
Hi,
Is the dried fish firm in texture?
The reason I am asking is that I am trying to find something to compare it to. Scandinavian salt dried Cod is very firm but doesn't smell (well not much).
My son throws up at the least smell of fish, so I don't think he will be visiting you anytime soon lol.
PS our friend Grizz gave you a nice mention, have you seen his latest post?
All the best
John
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Yes, I did. I commented twice on that post.
Is dried fish a staple food in the fillipines? That is… is it like a cheap food like spam or rice or is it costly. I can't imagine it. I may have to travel there just to see it.
I never thought about it. Yes, I guess it would be considered a staple food. It's pretty cheap.
I have to agree with you, some of those Philipino dried "delicacies" can leave rather odd odors! I'm glad some people enjoy them but they're not really my cup of tea.
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Speaking of delicacies… My boss travels to Singapore regularly and one time he was eating dinner with some customers and there was a special soup. One that tasted "Great" to quote him. When he asked the name of the soup they responded "Bird's nest soup".
Can you guess what it was made from?
It wasn't a pun… It was actually made from a bird nest.
*pukes on self*
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Dried fish is big in China. I can't get used to it either. It must be an acquired taste.
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I used to live in Korea. They sell dried fish at the supermarket. Not bad.
I was starting to think about eating this fish till you said it is about the size of a gold fish. Err, I'm thinking that you're talking about the gold fish that we usually have in fish tanks. :lol I'll look this up on Google!
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Just because you can put it in your mouth and eat it, doesn't mean you should. Man, that just does not sound like food.
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RT I give you credit. I've tasted Filipino food before and I know how it can be an "acquired" taste. Filipino food has the craziest smells and taste.
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Mmm….there's no distinct character to Filipino foods, it's very regional, and some are very "local", some are Spanish or Chinese influenced. Seeing that you're in Hawaii, (I think) Filipinos there are mostly from Ilocos regions, they probably serve you Ilocano dishes, quite different from the Pampangos or Ilongos or Bicolanos. Maybe you haven't had the crispy lechon or adobo, they're easy on the taste bud.
I grew up with lots of smoked fish, which has a beautiful smell.
However after travelling in Africa where many towns and villages have dried fish for sale, the smell of it has put me off the idea of ever trying some!
Tuyo is sun dried salted sardines. Tinapa is smoked herring. Southern Europeans barbecue sardines in the summer. Northern Europeans pickle herring, e.g. roll mops. I love these dried and smoke fish but what I really like from the Visayas is, "danggit", dried ??? (small, flattish) fish. I don't know the actual name but just love it. It doesn't smell as fishy.