EXOTIC FOODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

If ever you get fed up with foods bought in the nearby supermarkets, you might want to try these exotic foods. A number of exotic dishes are weird while some are so disgusting.

Scorpion Soup - China

A scorpion is not merely seen pinned on a natural history museum wall, it can also be a main ingredient in a soup. As the name says, scorpion soup from southern China is a soup made of scorpions. The venom gets neutralized while in cooking process and the taste of the dish is somewhat wooden. However, consumption of scorpion soup as well as preparing it can be unsafe as a man named Wing Li experienced when he got stung by some scorpions as he try to prepare them. Scorpions sold in markets are bred in ranches, in people's homes.

Century Eggs - China

Century eggs also known as millennium eggs, pidan or thousand-year-old eggs are chicken, duck or quail eggs preserved in a combination of salt, ricehulls, quicklime, ashes and clay for many months. While in the process, the white turns into translucent dark brown jelly with little flavour or salty taste. The yolk becomes gray-ish or dark-ish green and creamy with smell of ammonia and sulphur. During the curing process, the egg's alkaline material raises the pH to an average of 9 to 12

Deep Fried Tarantula - Cambodia

In Cambodia, fried spiders belong to its delicacy. The spiders called "Thai zebra" or "a-ping", which are about as big as humand hands gets tossed in salt and garlic before its deep fried. The town of Skuon in Cambodia is the center of the popularity though they are also available elsewhere in the country. The spiders are raised in holes in the ground in Skuon villages. The start of this practice is not clear but some claimed that people might have consumed spiders during the times when food was short in supply. The dish's popularity is a recent phenomenon which probably started during 1990’s. The legs have little flesh, whereas the body and head contains a delicate white meat. The bravest may prefer to eat the abdomen which has a brown paste which contains excrement, organs and possibly eggs.

Durian - Southeast Asia

A fruit which originated from Southeast Asia and considered as the "king of fruits,” durian is known for its thorn-covered husk, large size and strong odour. The fruit usually weighs one to three kilograms, 15 cm diameter and 30 cm long. The color can be green to brown, the shape can be oblong to round and the flesh ranges from pale yellow to red, based on the species. The flesh sends out a strong, peculiar, foul smell even when the husk's intact. Some consider it as pleasantly fragrant while for some it is revolting. The durian's aroma was considered similar to dirty socks, turpentine, rotten onions and sewers. Because of the persistent odor, the fruit was banned in some hotels and several airports in Southeast Asia.

Escamoles - Mexico

Escamoles, also called ant larvae, was made a delicacy by the Aztecs and is a native dish in Central Mexico. This brightly colored eggs which were taken from maguey plants is similar in appearance to pine nuts or white corn kernels with poppy texture and somewhat nutty taste. It is frequently pan fried with spices and butter. Escamoles can be found in omelets and tacos or also served alone along with tortillas and guacamole.

Read part two of the post
EXOTIC FOODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD II
EXOTIC FOODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD III