Pako

What you need to know about this woodland weed

In a woodland area we visited in Bukidnon a few years ago, pako was growing all over the place. Our host picked a whole bunch of the edible ferns, and served them to us for lunch. Its taste is reminiscent of asparagus, except that it’s a wee bit bitter.

Pako (emphasis on the second syllable) or fiddlehead ferns are said to contain an acid that is slightly toxic. But don’t worry, this substance is destroyed by heat. Blanch them for a minute or two in boiling water then quickly immerse them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The heat will rid the fronds of toxic acid, but the shock of ice will keep the tendrils crisp and bright green.

Pako is not available year-round. In Manila, it is usually sold in some wet markets during the rainy season. The season doesn’t last long, so I grab a big bundle—for anywhere between P15 and P20—whenever I can. It is a treat I never pass up.

Some people cook pako with coconut milk and dried anchovies. Others add the fern tendrils to monggo (mung bean) soup in place of ampalaya leaves. My favorite way of preparing pako is as a salad. I quickly blanch the unfurled tendrils of the pako stem and give them an ice bath. Then I chop some tomatoes, mince a red onion, and whip up a dressing of calamansi and bagoong na isda. Eating with my bare hands, I’m sure to finish a large plateful of rice when I pair this salad with fried or grilled tilapia, milkfish, or even catfish. On the side: slices of green mango and shrimp paste. Burp! —Divine Enya Mesina

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