Another staple merienda of a typical Pinoy are fishballs. And I don't mean the type that you buy on malls or on those rolling glass stands. I'm talking about old-school, classic fishballs that your mother told you not to eat. Those that are peddled on busy streets, cooked with last week's coconut oil (those are the best).

Fish balls are made of fish meat rolled in a ball. There are many variants all over Asia, but there's no mistaking Philippine fish ball. It starts out as somewhat flat and will expand as it cooks. Filipinos enjoy this treat dipped in either sweet, chilli, or vinegar sauce.

As with all Filipino street foods, proceed with caution if your vaccinations are not complete. Hepatitis, diarrhea, and a slew more of diseases are being attributed to dirty foods. So choose well when buying! Me and my friends have our own fish ball vendor. We know him and we know he takes good care of his customers :)

Mangga and bagoong. One of Pinoys' favorite snack. It can be eaten anyplace any day. Small children love it, and girls of all ages crave for it. And who can blame them? This Filipino treat has an acquired taste but once you catch the bug, you'll want to have more.

Bagoong is basically fermented fish. And like all things fermented, it has a unique odor that only fans can appreciate. Actually, part of bagoong's charm is its smell. Waiting for it to cook while peeling mangoes is priceless. Team it up with hilaw na mangga (unripened mangoes) and you have the perfect treat.

There's no shortage of it too. Manila is littered with vendors and hawkers selling mangoes with bagoong. Be wary, though, you may need a strong stomach and stronger immune system to survive eating one of those.

Sure there are bottled/canned/jarred variations you can buy off a supermarket aisle, but there's nothing like good old homemade bagoong like mom used to make.

[Pic via Carinderia.net]