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Dayok: The Fermented Fish Intestine Paste of the Philippines

In the landscape of Filipino cuisine, few ingredients are as essential yet overlooked as dayok. This is not a typical fermented fish paste. True dayok is a specialised product made from fermented fish intestines, serving as the foundational flavour for many dishes from the Bicol Region. Its story extends beyond Bicol, following a path of migration to the highlands of Dalaguete, Cebu, where it evolved into a distinct form.

This is an exploration of dayok: its definition, its Bicolano origins, its journey to Dalaguete, and the key differences between its two primary types.





Defining Dayok: An Ingredient of Intestines

It is crucial to distinguish dayok from more common Filipino condiments like bagoong or ginamos. While those are often made from whole fish or shrimp, dayok is specifically made from fish intestines and innards.

The process is straightforward but transformative. The intestines are lightly cleaned, mixed with a significant amount of salt, and left to ferment. This fermentation, which can last from days to weeks, breaks down the contents, resulting in a potent, salty, and deeply savoury paste. It is a traditional method of preserving and maximising every part of the catch.

The Bicolano Origin of Dayok

The term "dayok" is Bicolano. In the Bicol Region, known for its dishes incorporating coconut milk and chilli, dayok is not an optional condiment but a core ingredient. It is used as a flavour base, sauteed at the beginning of cooking to build a complex umami foundation that complements rich and spicy components.

Essential Bicolano dishes rely on dayok for their characteristic depth:
  • Bicol Express: The savoury backbone of this spicy pork and coconut milk stew comes from dayok.
  • Laing: Taro leaves cooked in coconut milk are seasoned with dayok.
  • Sinanglay: Fish simmered in coconut broth is flavoured with dayok.


In Bicol, dayok is a culinary building block. Its primary characteristics are its strong salinity and pronounced fermented flavour.

The Journey to Dalaguete and an Evolution in Form



The narrative of Dayok expanded with the movement of Bicolano farmers to Mantalongon, in Dalaguete, Cebu. This area, known for its vegetable production, became a new home for Bicolano culinary traditions. In this new environment, the ingredient adapts.

The version that developed in Dalaguete is notably different from the Bicol original, reflecting local preferences and ingredients.

Danggit Dayok vs. Tuna Dayok: Two Distinct Products

The type of fish used and the regional style create two unique variations of dayok.

Danggit Dayok: The Bicolano Standard

  • Base: Intestines of danggit (rabbitfish).
  • Form: A homogeneous, heavily salted paste. The fermentation process breaks the intestines down into a spreadable consistency.
  • Flavor: Intensely salty and funky. Chilli peppers are added during cooking, not during the fermentation of the paste itself. This is the classic dayok used in authentic Bicolano cooking.


Tuna Dayok: The Dalaguete Adaptation

  • Base: Intestines of tuna.
  • Form: Often roughly chopped, not mashed into a smooth paste. The intestines remain in distinct pieces.
  • Flavour : Less salty than the Bicol version, and critically, it is fermented with a large amount of chilli peppers. This results in a product that is both pungent and spicy from the outset.


Core Difference: A Base Versus a Condiment

This distinction in preparation points to a different culinary application:
  • Bicolano Dayok (Salted Paste): Used as a base ingredient to create a dish's foundational flavour layer.
  • Dalaguete Dayok (Spicy Chunks): Often treated as a condiment or finishing element. Its integrated spiciness and chunky texture make it suitable as a topping for simple dishes like steamed rice.


Dayok

Dayok is a testament to the specificity and adaptability of Filipino regional cuisine. It began as the salty, fermented core of Bicolano cooking. Through migration, it was adopted and transformed in Dalaguete into a spicier, chunkier variant. Understanding the difference between the salted danggit dayok paste of Bicol and the spicy, chunky tuna dayok of Dalaguete provides a deeper appreciation for this robust and essential Filipino ingredient.
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