A fungal delight
While you may not hesitate to eat mushrooms, surely fungal mold something you’d shy away from? Well, Mexican delight called Huitlacoche features exactly this. Organic corn that has not been sprayed with any fungicide develops smut as they ripen during the rainy season. It soft and velvety, exactly how you’d expect mold to be, but surprisingly it can be eaten raw and it’s nutritious too! It used in soups, enchiladas, sauces and many other dishes.
Turning pests into food
Locusts can be major pests, eating up vast fields of crops. What could be better way of scaring away these pests than by catching and eating them? In Israel, locusts make great snacks. From what experts say, they taste great whether they’re fried in batter or covered chocolate. They’re not only supposedly yummy but also loaded with nutrients like zinc, iron and protein.
This delicacy stares at you
If you’re one to be easily put off by strange edible things, you must approach Japanese market stalls with caution. As true seafood lovers, the Japanese don’t shy away from anything that arrives from the sea – octopus, squid, eels and… tuna eyeballs! Don’t be surprised if you find large eyes staring you from transparent packages While the rest of the world throws them away, the Japanese include tuna eyeballs in many dishes as they are good for your brain, being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, makes you why French fries can’t deliver this goodness.
Buried and rotting delight
When you hear that a dish is called ‘stinkheads’ you know that can’t be lip-smacking good. Imagine salmon being put in wooden barrels and under the ground for weeks. a few days… a then works its magic, turning it into a ripe and squishy would be an understatement to say that it smells a bit strong. Some say it smells like rotten onions, rotten flesh and ammonia that can challenge even the most adventurous palate.
Silkworm snacks
In South Korea, a snack means a bowl of steamed silkworm pupae. Delivering a medley of textures and flavours, it is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside with a slightly acidic, fishy flavour. For sweet-toothed fans, a candied version is also available. For those who cannot enjoy it on the streets of Korea, it is also possible to buy the canned version.
Onion halwa, anyone?
Onions throw themselves into most delicious spicy treats we’ve known. But what if they instead made friends with milk and sugar? Onion halwa is for those who are adventurous enough to test the pungent goodness of onions tamed into a sweet dessert.
A special potato dish
Phan pyut can be translated to ‘extra-aged potatoes’, but in truth potatoes find their place in this side dish only after they are completely spoilt. The potatoes are left untouched in the field until they rot and only afterwards are they cooked with choice spices. Would the spices be enough to mask the pungent taste? Guess not!
Picture Credit : Google
