Posted by Every culture has their own traditional foods and methods of preparation, but what seems mouth-watering to some can be utterly vomit-inducing to others. While I travelled India for a month this summer, I remember talking with some locals about foods and recipes they liked and disliked, asking them if there were any particular Western dishes they found totally disgusting. To my surprise, they were almost all in accord that pizza was by far one of the most repulsive foods, claiming the smell of hot cheese made their stomachs churn. With pizza being pretty well my favourite food in the whole wide world, I became curious to know what seemingly gross dishes are actually considered delicacies depending where you are. Here are some of the notable ones I came across, many foods which you’d never see in any Edmonton restaurants.
Hákarl (i.e. Rotten Shark) – Iceland
I first saw this dish on an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s travel-cooking show No Reservations and judging by Bourdain’s reaction, this is one delicacy that even the toughest of stomachs can barely withstand. Apparently, even among Icelanders this is an acquired taste and many don’t eat it. It has a very particular ammonia-rich smell and fishy taste, similar to Jewish deli whitefish or very, very, very disgustingly strong cheese.
Preparation: Typically, a Greenland or basking shark is the Hákarl shark of choice. They’re not the biggest sharks out there so you won’t see them on When Animals Attack. First, gut and behead it. Next, place it in a shallow hole, dug in gravelly-sand, then cover it with the sand and gravel. Place stones on top of the sand in order to press the shark and extract any fluids out of the body. Allow the shark to ferment for 6-12 weeks. Following the curing period, cut the shark into strips and hang them to dry for several months. During this drying period a brown crust will develop. Remove the crust prior to cutting the shark into small pieces and presto, ready to serve.
Tacos de Chapulines (i.e. Grasshopper Tacos) – Mexico
Given enough Tequila, I think I would certainly indulge in one of these once-happy-hopping, crunchy delights. Restaurant critic Robert Sietsema describes them as “meaty, crispy and strangely addictive” and, if you keep your eyes closed, “aren’t all that different from say, pork tidbits”. They are also highly nutritious, low in fat and contain pound for pound, twice the protein content of beef.
Preparation: Send children outside to chase grasshoppers. Get the most demonic child to remove all of the grasshoppers’ wings and legs. Once this is done, the cooking is up to you. Heat up some frying oil in a shallow pan, then sautée garlic, chili and onions until the onions are translucent. Remove and discard onions, chili and garlic from the oil, leaving only the oil in the pan. Place the grasshoppers in the oil until crisp and brown. Make sure you cook them thoroughly though, as sometimes they can contain parasites. Remove the grasshoppers and drain them well on paper towel. Similar to the process of taking a tequila shot, sprinkle salt over the top of your grasshoppers, (like you would your hand before licking it off pre-tequila consumption) then squeeze some lime over them (like you would squeeze lime into your mouth, post-tequila consumption).
Gator Kebabs – South Louisiana
Mostly served at outdoor festivals, chunks of deep-fried alligator are served on 10-inch wooden skewers. This rare delicacy is said to have a chewy consistency, something to the effect of undercooked pork. Yummy?
Preparation: For the freshest of fresh gator kebabs, find a hunter with a permit to shoot alligators. Cut up the alligator’s tail into bite-sized pieces. Batter your gator in cornmeal seasoning. Skewer, throw on the barbecue and serve.
Bird’s Nest Soup – China
The initial image that popped into my head upon hearing the name of this renowned Chinese dish, was a soup comprised of floating, miscarried birds and remnants of twigs. However, it seems that a few species of swallow, namely swiflets, are known for building saliva nests, saliva which apparently produces a unique texture for soup that is simply… mouth-watering. The nests have been a traditional part of Chinese cooking for over 400 years and are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. In Hong Kong, a bowl of Bird Nest Soup could cost anywhere from $30 USD to $100 USD.
Preparation: There are two types of bird nests available: clean or unclean. Clean nests should be soaked in cold water for about 3 hours until soft, then cleaned under cold water. Unclean nests are blackish and still contain feathers and twigs so you will have to soak them for at least a day, that way, they will expand, loosening any foreign matter which will then float to the top. Rinse off the nests under running water until nothing comes loose. Whatever stubborn impurities remain will have to be handpicked using a pair of tweezers. Once this is done, you can add the softened nest pieces into your favourite chicken soup recipe. Mmmmm… Bird nest…
Kopi Luwak (i.e. Luwak Coffee) – Indonesia
For those of you who like cute things, FEAR NOT, no Luwaks were hurt in the process of making Kopi Luwak. In fact, these little creatures are renowned for their delicious poop which makes for the world’s rarest and most expensive coffee beans at a pricy $100-$600 USD per pound. The Luwak’s diet consists of only the ripest coffee cherries, however because they don’t digest the beans, the beans come out perfectly whole. The fermentation process in the stomach results in a unique, delicious aroma once excreted.
Preparation: Once the Luwak has shat, wash the beans. With the beans in hand, think about where they came from and wash them again. Then, lightly roast the beans, but only lightly, so as to not destroy the complex flavors that develop through the process.
Fried Tarantula – Cambodia
It seems one person’s nightmare is another’s regional delicacy. In the Cambodian town of Sukon, fried tarantulas are a very popular and seemingly tasty snack, which have come to pique the curiosity of many tourist taste buds from all over the world. The spider-frying tradition came in response to the starving population’s need for food during the years of the Khmer Rouge rule. The spiders are bred in holes in the ground in villages north of Skuon and then fried in oil; legs, fangs and all. The tarantulas are said to have a crispy exterior and a soft, sometimes runny interior.
Preparation: Toss spiders into a mixture of MSG, sugar and salt. Crush garlic and fry in oil. Add spiders to the fried garlic oil and wait until the legs are almost completely stiff, so that the contents of the abdomen are not too runny.
Seal Flipper Pie – Canada
Flipper pie is a Canadian dish, specific to Newfoundland, made from seal flippers and commonly eaten at Easter. Taste-wise it is said to taste like a combination of slow-cooked beef and liver with hints of chewiness and a slight marine flavour, which I guess means it will be pretty Fishy.
Preparation: For the freshest of fresh flipper pie, find a seal hunter who will kill and cut off the seal’s flippers for you. In Newfoundland this is easier than it sounds. Salt and then rinse the flippers in hot water and baking soda. Next, boil your flippers with onions, carrots and celery. Remove the meat from the bones and tendons, and make into a meat pie-like dish with a puff pastry.
Bon appétit!
