We love the weird and the wonderful in Asia but even the boldest of travellers can find their resolve tested when it comes to sampling some of Asia’s more bizarre foods. Not everything you stumble across will whet your appetite as much as a good plate of spring rolls, but for the more adventurous foodie, why don’t you test your palate on some of these more obscure tastes of Asia…
1. Indonesian Bats
You may have thought you’d seen everything Bali has to offer along the tourist path, but how many of you have ever eaten a bat after your day at the beach or yoga class? Across Bali and the street markets in other parts of Indonesia, bats are fried, grilled or smoked to crispiness. They might look a little gruesome but they taste like beef jerky and are eaten whole, bones and all. Locals in northern Sulawesi also love a specialty of Manado cuisine – the spiced Fruit Bat Soup, where an entire bat is cooked in coconut milk and the soft meat on its feet and wings is savoured.
2. Cambodian spiders
For arachnophobes, this is a meal nightmares are made of, but in places such as Cambodia, eating a giant black tarantula the size of your palm is considered quite a treat. The spiders are bred in holes in the ground by villagers or foraged for in forestland, and fried in oil. With a fairly bland taste that is described a bit like chicken or cod, there is great contrast in the texture of the crispy exterior to the soft centre. The legs contain very little flesh and the head and body have a delicate white meat inside, making it the perfect mid-afternoon snack. And while some say that eating the abdomen is a delicacy, for others, the brown-paste innards are just a little bit too much to swallow.
3. Filipino chicken feet Abodo
Originating from China, this delicacy has made its way into cuisine across many parts of Asia, and the Filipinos have given it their own speciality spin with Chicken Feet Adobo. Usually sold as street food, the claws, tips of the toes, and the tough outer layer is removed before basting and grilling. This part of the chicken has little meat, with majority of the edible meat consisting of the skin and tendons, and it is enjoyed mostly as “pulutan” (appetizer). Spicy chicken feet Adobo is the Filipino counterpart to a cone of hot chips, and with just the right amount of spice, soft texture, and flavour, chicken feet is loved by many.
4. Indian Red Ant Hot Chutney
Who doesn’t love a fabulous Indian chutney with a good curry? In the region of Chhatisgarh in India, the favourite chutney of the locals is called Chaprah, made from red ants along with their eggs. The ants are dried then crushed with salt, sweeteners and spice to create a sharp, pungent taste that will give those who like hot, spicy food a real run for their money. These red ants are also used as a garnish for the dishes to make it spicier and hot. If you enjoy setting your mouth on fire, this chutney is not just a side dish, it is an adventure.
5. Chinese Flying Lizard
Naturally you’ve always longed to have some flying lizard on your fork, and you won’t be disappointed on your next visit to China or Hong Kong. Just head down to the market and look for the flattened, fried or salt-dried carcasses of winged lizards, neatly stuck on a stick. While often used to make soup, there’s also a great bonus: when steeped in tea, dried flying lizard is said to cure asthma!
