Thursday, October 18, 2007

ECL's Insect Eating Adventures

The first time when I was offered an insect dish in Bangkok, I behaved like most people, I went 'eeewwww'. I was disgusted. Coming from a developed country where I can have the most exotic food, I couldn't understand why would any one want to eat such disgusting things?

I tasted my first insect meal at a poor Thai farmer's house. My Thai friends brought me to a village to look at the life of the poor. For lunch, we were invited to a farmer's house. He offered us his most cherished food, deep-fried grasshoppers and worms. These are readily available in their fields and woods. They couldn't afford to buy meat and the insects were their only source of protein.

The grasshopper was a gross food to put in my mouth then. The host purposely picked a fat one, removed the legs first and offered to me. I had to summon all my courage to just pop it into my mouth and chew it. It was awful but I had to smile and act cute. -_-'" The deep-fried worms were tasty though.

The farmer and the villagers have been eating insects for many generations, they have never tasted beef nor pork. To them, the insects are yummy, nutritious and a luxury. They don't eat them everyday. I feel sad that there are people who work hard to produce food for us and yet they cannot afford to eat the meat that we often take for granted.

These worms are bred for consumption.

When I was in Beijing, I was amazed to see roadside stalls selling skewers of creepy crawlies. I have tried scorpions and black ants in a Chinese restaurant but the creepy crawlies that they sell scared me.

kia si lang (so scary), eat grilled spiders!?

A wide variety of creepy crawlies to choose from....

Never eat insects with rounded bodies unless you like the gooey stuff squishing in your mouth when you bite into it. blek.......

Some insects are tasteless, some taste horrible. The Chinese add seasonings, sauces (see Insect Feast) and vegetables to make them tasty. The insects have high protein content, very nutritious. They are an alternative source of food. Now, insects are also made into snacks and pastries, immersed in alcohol and canned.

Men have discovered more 500 types of insects that are edible in the world. For more than
2 000 years, the Chinese has included insects in their dishes. Not only are they considered the usual dishes at home and some are actively sought as delicacies in banquets, they have very high medicinal values. Ah, this is an area that I'm extremely interested and am actively researching and experimenting on.

Yesterday, a couple (Lucky Sengkor and Winn! Both of you have won an ECL Raunchy, Explosive Weekend!!!) asked me about Chinese viagra. The western aphrodisiac has side effects. The Chinese has a way of concocting amazing and safe aphrodisiac. It may take a longer time to act, (must take regularly) but the effects is wonderful and last and last and last......

In the olden days, the Emperor had 3 000 concubines in his Imperial Palace, how do you think he got to enjoy them?

(To the HugHugClub : Our RPS-crazy Wong Siong needs to channel his energy back to his 48 concubines! We are wilting due to lack of Imperial Golden Shower! wahahahaha......)


世界上已发现500多种可食昆虫。昆虫进入食料,在中国已有两千多年的历史,是一种营养价值极高的美食。古籍《礼记》中就记载了三十一种可入食料的昆虫。各昆虫不仅是大众化的佐餐食品和筵席上的佳肴,而且有很高的药用价值,有“医食同源”和“食药同功”之说。如今发展有昆虫佳肴、昆虫西饼、昆虫小吃、昆虫泡酒和昆虫罐头等食品。


48 comments:

  1. I just know I will fail badly at Fear Factor because i could never ever put anything remotely crawling into my mouth. And once again, I say Ewwwwwww.....

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  2. I have read a lot about chinese cultur and also all books from Pearl S.Buck. They impressed me very much when I was a Teenager ! 3000 women poor man, I suppose there were a lot of them who never met him.
    BTW I still don't know if you got my email with the header explanations. I also have a few other Halloween headers on my blog for the Cyber Cruise Halloween Party.

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  3. *gulp!* Grilled tarantulas??

    I think I'll stick to regular meat. Things with more than 4 legs scare me. :(

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  4. giddy tiger,
    I will also fail at Fear Factor because there are still many things I dare not eat.

    Some of the insects have medicinal values wor.

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  5. Gattina,
    The Chinese has a rich history of more than 5 000 years. It is indeed a fascinating destination for people of different cultures.

    Yes, 3 000 women and the Emperor would fancy one or a few. Many of the ladies had never even had a glimpse of him. Some of these women went through lots of horrible tortures and eventually died lonely and broken, due to the politicking in the Imperial Palace. Lots of sad stories behind those walls.

    I have received your emails and I have replied. You didn't get my emails? Thanks a lot for your help, dear.

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  6. Wah! U very brave, leh? I dont think I can do it. But my ang mo friends think I very brave to be eating sea cucumber, pigs brains, pigs intestines, and they think i can go on fear factor! I think you can go when they have Singapore edition of it.

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  7. Moby,
    Ya! Morbid, right? It caused my hair to stand! I dare not try it. There is lots of gooey stuff in the abdomen. yucks.

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  8. I wonder hor... the Emperor no 'sore' wan ah? O.o

    Say again, what did the lucky couple winn? What? Cat City? :p

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  9. Hmmm, I suppose eating prawns, and crabs aren't all that different to bugs, really.. hor?

    LOL!! Yes, I need to pry myself away from RPS! Beh tahan! I got carpal tunnel from Rock, Paper, & Scissors!!

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  10. stay-at-home mum,
    No lah! I selectively eat the less gross ones. Some are really disgusting beyond words.

    I really do try to taste new types of food when I'm travelling. I also go out of the way to find them. hehe....

    But certain food like internal organs (brains, intestines) or protruding organs (backside, penis, nipples) - I don't eat.

    Please - organisers of Fear Factor - don't contact me.

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  11. My angel,
    He would never get sore..... tired maybe.

    You can ask sengkor when we are in Cat City. Your lucky day!!! He's going to try my Chinese viagra, after that you ask him got sore anot lor. hahaha........

    er.... NP, you and I better stay out of his way in case he go berserk and start turning on us. I'm wearing my chastity belt. NP and you poh chon.

    Waaahhh!!! Raunchy Horniday in Pussy Town!!!

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  12. lb,
    Just because we see, eat prawns and crabs more often, we tend to think the insects are gross and disgusting as food. I should send you some deep-fried worms!!!

    aiyaaaa.... when you cuming to my chambers jek? We can still RPS wor, you soi guai Wong Siong!

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  13. i have eaten worms - the sago worms and the silk worms..

    Can't imagine someone eating roaches, or tarantulas.. or scorpion. They just sound.. Eewww.. :P

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  14. chen,
    You should try the scorpions. It is used as a medicinal cure for cancer, rhumatism, skin diseases, also for detox.... etc. It's expensive and is served at certain herbal restaurants.

    You can buy dried scorpions at traditional medical shops and make soup with them.

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  15. Bugs and sex in the same post. You are the coolest blogger I know!!!

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  16. Mike,
    Yup, I know. You should see me combine them in real life! wahahahahaha...........

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  17. I see spider! Big one somemore! WAAAA!!!!! *run away super fast like mad*

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  18. Hahahahahhahaha!!! Wa beh tahan! Bwahahahaha!!! But you said your Chinese concoction must take for long term wan... 3 days, still ok kuaa?? Kakaka...

    *also laffing @ the Ups & Downs*

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  19. Very interesting post! And the pics are quite fabulous too. Although I didn't know what I was eating at the time (Thank God!) I have had grasshopper before. But they were not deep fried. They were chocolate coated.

    I thought they were quite good UNTIL my fiance' (at the time) told me what I had just eaten. Thats when I went "ewwwwwwwwwwwww".

    Isn't that odd? I liked them just fine until I knew what they were, lol.

    Glad to see you at Charmed & Dangerous, have missed ya!

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  20. Doreen,
    Alamak! Another one scared of the pic of a spider. hehehe.... If I go to visit you, I'll specially tapo (pack) a herbal spidey for you!

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  21. My angel,
    I gib sengkor my special 69 herbal wine concoction! ma siong toink!!

    But he's young, scared I might overdose him. But never mind, we got protection. I pity the poor chambermaids! muahahahaha.......

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  22. Hi Dari!!
    So glad to see you again! Yes, it's been a long time, sweetie!

    Grasshoppers are safe for consumption, and are nutritious too. hmmmm.... maybe I should try a chocolate coated grasshopper next time!

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  23. I always have ants-coated ice cream. Very common wan....especially when I forgot to put the lid back onto the tub and leave it there for few minutes.

    I also want your 69 concoction. Then you and angel can splash a bucket of water on me when it takes effect!

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  24. Cocka,
    aiyaaah... eating ants is so common lah!

    Waaah! Let you try the 69 concoction is very dangerous, later you lose control .... how?? Angel will be very sore! :(

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  25. "Yup, I know. You should see me combine them in real life! wahahahahaha..........."

    A comedian too!!!!

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  26. I should read your post(not on the aphrodisiac, hehehe...) to my kids. Then they will learn not to waste food.

    If Singapore have fear factor, you should join :)

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  27. I can't eat that.. ever..! even if my life depended on it.. muahhaha!! i'm a wuss..!

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  28. I can't believe people actually EAT these things!

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  29. Errr dunno if dis is my cup of tea, reli dun tink can swallow anyting squirming :P

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  30. I was presented with a box full of little wormies (like the ones in your picture) some years ago when we were running the AXN challenge in KL. I don't know what stopped me from trying them out more -- the fact that they're worms, or that they're being eaten alive, poor things!

    hmmmmm... I think it's the worm factor... LOL! ewww!

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  31. i've only eaten worms lor. i don think i'll ever eat those crawlies. i think it's just disgusting.

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  32. Mike,
    You are seeing the many sides of Ecl! hehe....

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  33. lzmommy,
    Yes, I told my son about eating insects and showed him the pictures. He has been to several undeveloped countries and seen for himself, so he doesn't waste food. In fact, he eats everything too.

    Some children just don't know how lucky they are!

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  34. I saw this at china.. People eat just like normal.. I cannot and I feel a bit disgusting..

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  35. mamabok,
    Wah! Liddat you cannot go on Survivor show leh. Some of them don't taste so bad lah.

    Imagine the poor farmer and his children eating the grasshoppers, worms and bugs for their regular meals. sigh.....

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  36. Captain Picard,
    For the Chinese, these bugs are not only considered a delicacy but they also can cure some ailments.

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  37. firehorse,
    They will be cooked. You don't have to swallow them alive, unless you want to! hehehe....

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  38. May,
    Wah! You took part in the AXN Challenge!

    I won't be able to eat the live worms too. Too yucky! When they are deep-fried, their insides are cooked and they taste crispy. If they are not cooked, you can imagine the raw and squishy taste. hehehe....

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  39. ehon,
    Eating these won't kill you lah. When you are in your 40s and 50s, you might change your mind, because some of the crawlies do give a boost to your sex life. hahaha..... Many Chinese men believe in this and it's recorded in medical books too.

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  40. great... i just lost my appetite for the next 4 meals.

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  41. keeyit,
    You would find many such stalls in different parts of China. You should try some less scary ones like the deep-fried worms. hehe...

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  42. Hi suadref,
    Thanks for stopping by. Some of the crawlies are not so bad, although the spider is really too gross! haha...

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  43. Awwhh..Yuck!!
    All the things Chinese ppl eat... although im Chinese myself lol..
    Luckily I finished my supper..or I'll puke all over my keyboard.
    Great post btw..

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  44. The post reminded me of the delicacies i had when I was in the province of Pampanga here in the Philippines. At one time, our group was offered to sample the tasty dish of fried "kuliglig" (an insect) and fried frogs! And boy! They were delicious! And i kid you not!

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  45. Hi vxsite,
    Thanks for stopping by. All are edible, some are yucky but some are yummy! hehehe....

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  46. The Anitokid,
    kuliglig, what type of insect is that? I would love to try it since you said it's yummy! I'll have to ask my friends in Manila. I don't think such delicacy is sold in Manila?

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  47. Hi kimchihead,
    Thanks for stopping by! These insects with kimchi seems like a good idea!! ^-^

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