Pako-Edible Fern

Arthyrium Esculentum

Pako or fiddlehead ferns are considered a delicacy in the Philippines. Since it is not grown as a vegetable you can only gather these fronds in the wild. If in season, they are gathered and made into salads. My mom would boil the ferns and then mix with tomatoes and red onions then seasoned with fish sauce. It is a healthy food rich in omega 3 and 6, have anti-oxidants, high in potassium and a good source of fiber.

Pako is called fiddlehead because of the shape of the fresh shoot that resembles the end of the handle of a stringed instrument like a violin called a “scroll”. Pako is also a name that must have originated from Indonesia because they also call it paku.