Human beings as a species have now reached a point where we are now on the top of the food chain. While this technically means that we don’t have to be worried about eaten alive by bigger predators, some people have taken it to mean that they can pretty much eat whatever they want.
Now when a regular person says that they want to try something new and exotic and adventurous, they usually go to some place serving new regional cuisine. Here’s the thing- most of them will be serving only the sanitized, mainstream version. If you are truly looking for something exotic and adventurous, I’d suggest you jump into the nearest plane and go check out the streets for 10 strangest street food around the world of places like
Mexico- Escamol
Do you remember the Hakuna Matata song from the Lion King? Now do you remember the part in the song where Timon and Pumba open that tree bark and start chomping down on all those worms and grub? (You see where I’m going with this, right?) Escamol is the larvae and pupae of a species of ants which are harvested from the Tequila plant and is said to have a “buttery and nutty” taste. Or in the words of Simba, slimy yet satisfying.
Thailand Jing Leed
Jing Leed is deep fried crickets. The most common recipie includes seasoning using a special Golden Mountain sauce and pepper powder and fried in a wok. They go great with Beer, apparently.
South Africa- Biltong
Biltong is the South African version of Beef Jerky. Unlike the regular version however, Biltong comes in different varieties made using different types of meat, including Ostrich, game meat (Wildebeests, deer etc).
Tibet -Yak Butter Tea, Lhasa
A favourite among Tibetan monks and nomads (who drink up to 40 cups a day). Butter tea feels more like soup than tea and is made from tea leaves, Yak butter, salt and milk. It is traditionally made by boiling tea leaves in water for many hours, poured into a wooden butter churn with the butter and salt and churned until you get the right consistency. The drink is said to be of high calorific value (mostly because it’s melted butter) and so useful for those living in high altitudes. So we’d suggest you take up mountaineering to burn off the excess fat.
Africa – Mopane worms
Mopane worms are a type of caterpillar which feeds on the leaves of the Mopane tree. They are a delicacy in many parts of Southern Africa including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. While dried Mopane can be eaten raw, it is mostly fried and can be eaten on the go.
Trinidad – Bake and Shark
The ultimate cure for those who got traumatised watching Jaws. Bake and Shark is essentially a shark sandwich. The shark meat is marinated with a mixture including lemon juice, onion, garlic, thyme, etc and is served on a fried flat bread with coleslaw, tomatoes and pineapple. Bake and Shark is found all over Trinidad and Tobago favourite on the Maracas beach in Trinidad
China – Bird’s nest soup
Okay, this is a bit of a cheat. The Bird’s nest soup is not technically street food- it’s actually one of the most expensive foods on the planet. What is in it that makes it so expensive, you ask? Well, it’s exactly what the name says- soup made from the nest of a species of small Swift. It’s a bit like someone paying you a ton of money to turn your house into soup. Oh, and the birds don’t use twigs to make their nests like regular birds. No, they instead use their solidified saliva instead.
United States – Southern fried rattlesnake
Some people must get some perverse satisfaction in being able to eat things which are exclusively designed to kill you. Case in point- the humble rattlesnake. About 8000 people are bitten by a rattlesnake per year, and in retaliation, we skin them, cover them in batter and deep fry them. It is said to taste like chicken, quail or rabbit.
Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador – Roast guinea pig
Has anyone of you had a guinea pig as a pet? If so, maybe consider staying away from the street food vendors of certain South American countries. Unless if you want to get all teared up having eaten something which looks like fluffy (or whatever nonsensical name you gave your pet guinea pig). A lot of South American nations including Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia grow Cuy (which is the local name) for their meat. It’s high in protein and has low fat and cholesterol, so hopefully you’ll be able to take solace in the fact when they serve the meat, complete with head and feet.
Phili
ppines- Balut
Egg or Chicken (well, duck)? Why not h
ave them both? This Filipino treat is made by hard boiling eleven day old fertilized duck eggs with developing embryo still inside it. That’s about it, nothing more to be said, is there?
So, well, yeah. Enjoy your meal!?
