From pizzas to chowmein, there is much that world cuisine has added to our everyday palate, and for good. But there’s more that still remains to be discovered when we talk about foods from across the world.
Time to move out of your culinary comfort zone and experience some of the most whacky and unfathomable dishes from across the globe!
1. Yak Penis, China
Silkworms and cockroaches are now passé. Make way for yak’s penis. In China, yak penis – also known as “Dragon in the Flame of Desire” – is no less than a delicacy, thought to have health benefits to boot. Believed to restore sexual virility, yak penis is often cooked in hot chilli oil.
In fact, an elaborate menu – replete with genitalia of certain animals – is a proud feature of the Guolizhuang Restaurant in China’s capital city. The yak penis happens to be the most expensive dish on the menu (which also has bull and horse penises on the list, in case you were interested.)
2. Tarantulas, Cambodia
Think you have a strong stomach? Time to put that to the test. Ditch the evening samosas for tarantulas to give your taste buds a unique experience. With a taste similar to crab, tarantulas are fried up and served across Cambodia as a popular snack option.
3. Tuna Eyeball, Japan
Are you brave enough to gobble up a single huge eyeball? Some people in Japan are. Simple to cook, the tuna eyeballs are plucked, boiled, tossed with soy or garlic sauce and served. Known to taste like squid, you can find the dish easily in supermarkets in Japan.
4. Grilled Pig’s Ear, Spain
Believe it or not, pig’s ears happen to be a long-standing traditional dish in Madrid. Crispy grilled pig’s ears are a delicacy and find their way to the menus of most uptown bars and restaurants. Of course, there’s chilled beer and tangy sauces for company.
5. Sting Bugs, Africa
Africans vouch for sting bugs when it comes to adding flavour to their dishes. They claim that the taste of sting bugs is similar to that of apples – which is why it is used in stews, sauces and soups. Alternatively, they are also eaten alive and sometimes, even beheaded, squeezed and sun-dried as a snack. This one’s not for the faint-hearted.
6. Fried Grasshopper, Thailand
Several streets in Thailand are dotted with vendors selling fried cockroaches wrapped in warm tortillas. A stand alone snack in Thailand, grasshoppers are fried, coated with the famous golden mountain sauce and sprinkled with Thai pepper powder. You may find locals and tourists washing it down with a pint of beer.
7. Huitlacoche, Mexico
Love bhutta? Now think of eating a near-rotten corn kernel with black tumour-like growths sprouting from it. Not very appetising? Well, much of Mexico disagrees with you; insect-infected corn is used in the country as a filling in quesadillas. The fungus or smut is, in fact, relished for its pleasant, earthy taste.
8. Raw Octopus, Korea
Eating live octopus is just one of the regular things Koreans do. In fact, octopus – dead or alive – is a delicacy in Korea. One of the most common variants eaten in Korea is a live octopus that is, at most, sliced up before eating it. This one is for the brave of heart, folks!
9. Casu Marzu, Italy
Casu Marzu is type of cheese made from fermented sheep milk. What’s wrong with cheese, you might ask? Isn’t it the best thing ever? But hold on, what makes Casu Marzu odd is the presence of thousands of live insects maggots in it. Yes, the cheese – which is quite popular in Italy – is left unattended until tens of thousands of cheese-flies lay their eggs inside. How about trying this one?
10. Dried Lizard, Hong Kong
The mere mention of lizard is enough to creep some of us out. If we can’t stand them on our walls, how will we have them on our plates?
Well, dried lizards are savoured in Hong Kong. Rarely eaten as a snack, they are usually brewed in a pot for hours – only for the stew to be released in a soup later. Sometimes though, they are devoured in soup or served alongside soup. Would you dare take this gastronomical roller-coaster?
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