Skewers · Grilled Offal

Isaw

Photo: Allan Chatto / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

The isaw stands around the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman are so well known that students and visitors treat them as a Manila landmark.

Chicken or pork intestines are cleaned, boiled, threaded onto bamboo skewers, and grilled over charcoal until slightly charred outside and tender within. They're served hot off the grill with a dip of spiced vinegar.

Why it's made this way: Grilled offal skewers turned cheap cuts into an affordable, smoky snack for students and workers, and isaw stalls became a fixture of Filipino street corners in the late 20th century.