Meandering through the the streets of many countries in the world, you’re sure to come across the delicious smells of street food. Of course, eating the typical food is a great way to get to know the culture of a new place.
While some street food looks and smells great, other delicacies might sound a bit strange to foreign tastes. Here are some of the most unusual street foods from around the globe.
Broiled water beetles – Thailand
While meandering the streets of Thailand, you can indulge in these browned bugs, which are a great source of protein. Also called maeng da, these water insects are about three to four inches in length and are seared in oil with bean stew peppers before being eaten like potato chips. Next time you visit Bangkok, see if you’re brave enough to taste this enticing dish.
Balut – Philippines
At first this delicacy just looks like a typical, hard-boiled egg, so what’s so weird about it? Well, these eggs are cooked with the growing duck fetus still developing inside its shell. It may look extremely bizarre and savage, but it is a common food in the Philippines. Plan your trek to the Philippines, and add this flavorful dish to your bucket list.
Casu marzu – Italy
Casu marzu, which literally means “rotten cheese,” is a dish of cheese made from sheep’s milk that contains the hatchlings of flies. Yes, you read that right. This street food is pretty scary looking, and you have to be quite brave to give it a taste. The customary Sardinian dish is made out of sheep’s milk cheese with insect larvae living inside.
Fish eyeball – Japan
In spite of the fact that the name sounds exceptionally frightening, this dish is very popular and said to taste almost like octopus. The eyes are seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and different traditional seasonings. While strolling the streets in Japan, you might as well go ahead and taste it.
Hakarl – Iceland
Made from the Greenland shark, this dish is actually toxic when eaten raw. To make it, the shark is fermented in a shallow, gravelly hole, and then the flesh is sliced into strips and then they hang it for several months to dry. It’s the national dish of Iceland, but foreigners have a hard time stomaching it.
Mopane morms – South Africa
Another strange street food is mopane worms, considered a delicacy in several countries in Africa. These worms are said to be full of meat, and are gathered from trees and bushes. In order to prepare them to be eaten, the worms are either smoked, dried, or canned. It might sound strange to us, but mopane worms are an important source of protein. In fact, they can even be purchased at a number of grocery stores in Africa.
Andouillette – France
Andouillette is very likely the stinkiest dish you will ever taste it in your life. Arranged from pig digestive organs, onions, wine, and distinctive seasonings, the dish is well known in French markets. The pig digestive organs are packed into a casing and served in mustard sauce. It has a very distinctive odor that puts off many foreigners.
