Some of the weirdest cuisines in the entire globe can be found in Asia, where there are also many otherworldly delicacies. The only thing preventing a full stomach is the “yuck factor,” with everything from Laotian duck blood soup to crunchy Thai scorpions.
Here are the top picks (part 1) for the strangest meals in Asia. Would you be brave enough to indulge in the following unique snacks? Let’s find out.
Balut
Balut is a fertilized duck or chicken embryo that is boiled alive and eaten while it is still in its shell, making it one of the riskiest delicacies that travelers might try in Southeast Asia.
In addition to being a very popular Filipino snack, this unusual finger meal is also consumed in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Balut is frequently offered by street vendors and is typically seasoned with salt, chili, garlic, and vinegar. It is thought to be strong in protein and full of vitamins.
Balut, like many strange Asian dishes, is thought by some to be an aphrodisiac, providing passionate men the energy to go all night…Ahem.
Duck Head
This is not the case in Asia, in stark contrast to western culture, where anything on your plate should seem like meat and meat alone. In fact, a lot of these societies practice the philosophy of “waste not, want not” when it comes to food, which entails devouring every last bit of the animal.
No flesh is wasted, even the head, in this “nose to tail” style of cooking. Even while eating a head won’t make your stomach growl, at least you’ll know exactly what animal it came from. Other Asian foods definitely don’t come with that as a given!
Scorpion
According to some, scorpions taste like chicken. Others claim they have a crab flavor. These crunchy animals will stick to your teeth with their spiky shells no matter what flavor you get from them. In China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos, scorpions are a frighteningly common delicacy that is deep-fried. You might have a question in your head right now. Surely scorpions possess lethal venom?
Apparently, after being cooked alive in the boiling oil, the scorpions’ poison is rendered harmless. Additionally, it is thought that consuming the sting can make you stronger and improve male virility. Oh boy!
Century Egg
The century egg, which is consumed in China and Taiwan, is also known as preserved eggs, millennium eggs, skin eggs, and black eggs, to mention a few. I’m sure your tummy is growling after reading those nicknames, so give me a little more time to tell you about them.
A mixture of ash, salt, clay, rice husks, and quicklime is used to preserve duck, quail, or chicken eggs for several weeks to months depending on the procedure used). The egg white changes during this process into a dark jelly with a salty flavor. The yolk changes color to a greyish green and develops a pretty overpowering sulfur scent.
Century eggs are a common street snack as well as an item served at dim sum establishments. They are interestingly offered at Cantonese weddings, typically as a component of the first-course platter. Personally, I’m not sure if a bite of this would make me feel more in the mood for love.
Are you feeling something inside your stomach after reading about all these bizarre cuisines? Don’t worry. You will feel it more in the next part 2. Stay tuned!
