The Most Unusual Dishes In The World

Probably, many people are interested in what people eat in different countries of the world, and what unusual dishes for us do not surprise anyone in their country of origin.

Probably, many people are interested in what people eat in different countries of the world, and what unusual dishes for us do not surprise anyone in their country of origin.

We present the most unusual, sometimes terrible and strange dishes of the world. By the way, Ukrainian bacon was also included in the list, along with poisonous ant eggs and tuna eyes!

Escamoles, Mexico

 

Escamoles are the eggs of large poisonous ants from the genus Liometopum (lat. Liometopum), which lay their larvae deep in the roots of the agave. To get such eggs is unpleasant, and dangerous. They say that the larvae are similar in texture to cottage cheese and have a nutty flavor. Usually ant eggs can be found in the form of one of the ingredients of the filling of tacos or scrambled eggs.

Shirako, Japan

 

Shirako is translated from Japanese as "white children" - these are fish milt (seed organs of fish). Traditionally they are fried, stewed or deep-fried. In appearance, such a dish resembles white, sticky drops in the form of a brain. And the taste of shirako is sweetish, similar to cream.

Tuna eyeballs, Japan

 

The Japanese consume tuna without residue, even the eyes. Tuna eyeballs can be purchased at any supermarket and are very cheap. They are usually boiled or steamed, seasoned with garlic or soy sauce. By the way, they taste a bit like squid.

Balut (balut), Philippines

 

Balut or balut is a boiled duck egg in which an embryo has already been partially formed (a fetus with plumage, cartilage and a beak). Interesting: Filipinos consider balut to be a male aphrodisiac. Season it with salt, chili pepper and vinegar. First, the egg shell is split from the empty end, the film is pierced and the broth is drunk, which tastes like chicken broth. Then they clean the remaining shell and eat the “egg” itself.

Crispy tarantulas, Cambodia

 

People living in Cambodia look at tarantulas and think "lunch", so it's not surprising that the first food of starving Cambodians during the Khmer Rouge regime was tarantulas. Tarantulas can now be found as a crispy, deep-fried snack in markets across the country. They say they taste like crabs.

Ant egg soup, Laos

 

The most unusual soup in the world that combines ant eggs and white ant embryos. In addition, a few small ants are added to the soup to add sourness. The taste of this soup is delicate, slightly spicy, somewhat reminiscent of the taste of shrimp.

Elk nose in jelly, Canada

Many Canadians are not stopped by the desire to experiment in the field of cooking, so the "nasal" gastronomy is no exception. They boil the moose nose with onions and spices, then remove the hair, boil again, cut into slices and pour the broth, which soon turns into jelly. It turns out such a "filler".

Boshintang, Korea

 

It looks like an ordinary Korean soup, which is also considered to be healthy. Interestingly, only a rich person could afford such a soup before. The composition includes onions, dandelions, spices and dog meat. Today, tourists are unlikely to find this dish on the menu of restaurants and cafes, since boshintang is popular only among older people. It is said that the taste of soup is much more pleasant than the aroma.

Blister corn smut, Mexico

 

This is corn covered with a fungus that looks like tumor-like growths of blue-black color on corn kernels. Most people throw this corn in the trash because they think it's sick, but for Mexicans it's a real delicacy. They call this corn "sleeping dung" and enjoy the woody and earthy flavors of the fungus.

Airan (Kumiss), Mongolia

 

Would you like to taste fermented horse milk? In Mongolia, this is a completely ordinary drink: sour and low-alcohol. The Mongols make something similar to beer from mare's milk, allowing it to ferment. Traditionally, it is served chilled, and it is also suspected that unfinished leftovers are sent back to the general storage tank.

Casu Marzu, Italy

 

Casu marzu or "rotten cheese" - pecorino with cheese fly larvae from Sardinia. Fly larvae are added to pecorino cheese, so the process of decomposition of the fats contained in the cheese is accelerated, it becomes soft, creamy. There is also a fluid called lagrima or "tears". Sardinians spread such a weeping delicacy with a persistent aroma on a bread cake and try it with or without larvae.

Maktak, Greenland

A traditional Inuit dish made from frozen whale skin and blubber. This dish is usually served raw or pickled. The delicacy consists of several layers: skin (it tastes like hazelnuts), fat, a protective layer between the skin and fat.

Haukarl, Iceland

 

How such a shark recipe was invented is a mystery shrouded in darkness. To prepare the delicacy, the shark is gutted and decapitated, then the carcass is buried in a hole for two to three months, sprinkled with sand and stones. After a while, the shark is cut into strips and air-dried for a few more months.

Centenary egg, China

 

Would you dare to eat a rotten egg? Once upon a time, the Chinese ate this with pleasure, and today even more so - a century-old egg is a real Chinese delicacy. The eggs are covered with clay, ash and salt for several months, during which the yolk turns dark green and the egg itself begins to stink of sulfur.

Salo, Ukraine

 

Salo is a traditional dish in Ukraine, which is not alien to many Slavs. It is a hard animal fat that is commonly eaten raw, salted, smoked, boiled, stewed, and fried. They eat it with bread, green onions, garlic, horseradish, mustard. Ukrainians love this delicacy so much that they even organize fat festivals.

Stargazy Pie, England

 

It's a pie with a fish looking up at the sky. Such a pie is served on December 23, on the eve of the holiday in honor of Tom Bowcock. The legend says: Tom, a heroic sailor who lived in the sixteenth century, one December evening, despite the strongest storm, returned with a big catch to feed the hungry people of England.

Locust, Israel

 

Lately Israel has been suffering from a plague of locusts, but as it turns out, this is the only insect that is considered kosher, so the Israelis invented another “special” way to kill locusts: eat them. Fried and chocolate-covered locust leaves with a bang!