Insect Dish

Mexico

Ahuatle are eggs coming from insects that live on the banks of lagoons and lakes in Central Mexico. After they've been collected from plants that grow in the water, the eggs are dried in the sun. The name ahuatle means fly eggs, and in the past they were used in dishes that were considered a delicacy by the Aztecs and the Mexican aristocracy a bit later. The eggs are usually cooked in a skillet (often with eggs) or used in savory pies along with hot peppers and either zucchini or pumpkin. Unfortunately, due to water pollution, ahuatle is at risk of disappearing.

Ahuatle

Peru

Anticucho de suri is a traditional dish originating from the Peruvian jungles. These skewers are usually made with beef heart and they're sold on the streets, but this type of anticucho is unique because its key ingredient is suri, or South American palm weevil larvae. The suri is extracted from the palmetto or aguaje trees, washed, seasoned with salt and garlic, marinated for about 20 minutes, and then threaded on skewers and fried or grilled. Once prepared, anticuchos de suri are typically accompanied by cooked or fried plantains on the side.

Anticuchos de suri

Beondegi is a classic South Korean street food consisting of silkworm pupae insects. These tiny animals are usually boiled or steamed and then seasoned before they are served in small cups. Although of an acquired taste, beondegi is available at numerous street stalls throughout the country, while the canned version is occasionally found in supermarkets. Some restaurants even serve the insects as a side dish. Beondegi became a popular option during Korean War when food was scarce, and there was a shortage of protein-rich ingredients.

Beondegi

Beondegi soup is a Korean soup made with silkworm pupae as the key ingredient. In order to prepare it, the silkworm pupae is marinated in sweet soy sauce, then boiled for a long time in water. The aromas are distinctive, pungent and earthy, making the dish recognizable from a few meters away. The pupae can be on the softer or harder side, and as they're chewed, they pop in the mouth, squirting bits of their juices. The soup has a savory and sweet flavor with hints of soy sauce. In Korean pubs, beondegi soup is often served with alcohol on the side, and there's also a canned version of the dish which can be found in most supermarkets.

Beondegi Soup

Angola

Catatos is a unique and unusual Angolan dish. At its most basic, the dish is made by frying caterpillars with garlic, but it can be enriched with the addition of onions, peppers, and tomatoes. The caterpillars should be quite tender, but with a crunchy texture, and some say that they taste like prawns. The dish is packed with nutritional value since the caterpillars have higher doses of protein and iron than fish and beef. It is recommended to serve catatos with rice, funge, and hot sauce.

Catatos

Chapulines is a Mexican specialty dish consisting of fried grasshoppers, characterized by a crunchy texture and yeasty flavor. The grashoppers are traditionally seasoned with chilis, garlic, and a squeeze of lime juice. They can be used as a filling for tacos, preferrably with some green salsa and onions, or on tostadas with cheese and guacamole. The dish is a staple in the region of Oaxaca, providing the consumers with inexpensive, yet plentiful doses of protein.

Chapulines

Chicatanas are large Mexican flying ants that appear annually during the first rain of the season because they're trying to flee their flooded nests and search for food sources. In Mexico, people collect them and prepare specialty dishes such as salsa de chicatana, a sauce that's ground in a molcajete with salt, chile de arbol, avocado leaves, and garlic. The smoky sauce is folded in quesadillas, added to soups, or mixed with eggs. The ants can also be toasted on a comal griddle, then consumed as a snack. When mixed with spices and seasoned with salt, the crunchy chicatanas are often served as an accompaniment to mezcal. They're very nutritious and a great source of protein, while the flavor is often compared to pork rinds.

Chicatanas

Chinicuiles is a Mexican dish prepared with maguey worms that infest the root of the maguey and agave plants before they're harvested for human consumption. They're traditionally harvested in Tlaxcala and Hidalgo. These worms are the same ones that can be found at the bottom of a mezcal bottle. They are red, fleshy, and very nutritious, containing high amounts of protein. The worms can be roasted or deep-fried, and they are usually served in a warm tortilla with green tomatoes, lime, chili, and salt. Chinicuiles can often be found in Oaxaca's markets. The flavor is nutty, compared to pork cracklings.

Chinicuiles

Cuchamas are green caterpillars from Mexico. When in season, they're fried as a centuries-old practice in southern Mexico. Once fried, these caterpillars are usually eaten with salsa or with chili and lemon juice. Some people believe that cuchamas have aphrodisiac properties. Nowadays, they are sometimes also served in upscale restaurants.

Cuchamas

Also known as caviar of the desert, escamoles is an unusual Mexican dish consisting of ant larvae that is usually fried with butter, onions, and chili. The ants are known as Liometopum apiculatum, velvety tree ants, and la hormiga pedorra, meaning the farty ant. The dish was considered a delicacy by the Aztecs, and its high price today also reflects that train of thought. Escamoles can often be found in tacos or omelets, although the dish can be served on its own, when it is traditionally accompanied by tortillas and guacamole.

Escamoles

Gafanhotos de palmeira is a traditional insect dish. It's made by frying or toasting grasshoppers in red palm oil in order to give them the unique flavor and color. These grasshoppers are usually harvested from palm trees. Once prepared, the dish is served with funje on the side. Gafanhotos de palmeira is often cited as being a specialty of the Cuanza Norte region.

Gafanhotos de palmeira

Colombia

Hormiga culona are world famous fat-bottomed ants, an unusual delicacy from the department of Santander in Colombia. Originally harvested by the Guane Indians as a protein source, today it takes about five hours to gather the ants from their nests in springtime. Their bottoms get soaked in salted water, then they are fried for about 45 minutes and strained, while the wings get removed by hand. The snack is sold on numerous street corners, made with the addition of wine, or toasted with salt, while some upscale restaurants make their own gourmet versions of the dish. Providing a unique taste and flavor of Colombia, ants' bottoms can get seriously expensive due to the fact that they come out of their nests for only one or two days in a year, during the rainy season. They taste like peanut shells, salty and crunchy, and are sometimes also compared to pork rinds. The ants are large and always female, while some believe that they have aphrodisiacal properties, so hormiga culonas are sometimes even given as a wedding gift. Although it is an unusual food, the ants are believed to prevent high cholesterol in blood and are full of protein and Vitamin B, making it an unusual, yet healthy snack.

Hormiga culona

Japan

Inago no tsukudani is a traditional dish featuring insects as the key ingredient. It originates from the mountainous regions such as Nagano and Fukushima. The dish is prepared with rice grasshoppers or locusts that are cooked in a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, a method known as tsukudani. Once prepared, the locusts should be crunchy, and the flavor is described as mild and nutty. The dish is often served as a snack with sake, beer, or tea, but it can also be served as an accompaniment to main dishes.

Inago no tsukudani

Jumiles are Mexican stinkbugs that were consumed since pre-Columbian times as a snack, a medicine, and an aphrodisiac. These bugs are usually toasted in a skillet, then used as a taco filling. They can also be ground and added to salsas or guacamole. The flavor of jumiles is often described as a mix between mint and cinnamon, somewhat sweet and bitter. In the past, Mexican Indians used them to treat liver, stomach, and kidney problems, but these bugs also have anesthetic and analgesic properties, useful when numbing a toothache. Jumiles are especially popular in Taxco.

Jumiles

Malang tod is a Thai dish consisting of a variety of fried insects such as crickets, beetles, worms, and grasshoppers. Once fried, the insects are traditionally served with a bit of pepper and soy sauce or fish sauce. This dish is very nutritious because the insects are a great source of protein. The flavors and textures are best described as nutty, salty, and crunchy. Malang tod is usually eaten as an afternoon snack, and it's often paired with liquor or beer. Some of the most popular types of malang tod include silk worms (hon mhai), waterbugs (maeng da), and grasshoppers (takatan).

Malang tod

Mod daeng is the name for weaver ants that can be found in the northeast of Thailand. The literal translation from Thai means red ant. The ants are collected once a year in the dry season from February until May. Their eggs (kai mod daeng) are some of the most prized edible inscects due to their rich and pleasant flavor and medicinal properties. The eggs are rich in sugars, vitamins, and proteins. At the markets, mod daeng eggs reach high prices, making them vital for the local economy. The ants and the eggs can be fried, used in omelets, or boiled in coconut milk for the preparation of a dessert called tom kati kai mod daeng.

Mod daeng

Nsenene is a seasonal specialty dish originating from Uganda. The name refers to grasshoppers (katydids) which are plucked and washed, then fried in their own fat, without cooking oil, and flavored with onions and salt. The grasshoppers can also be sun-dried or boiled, then consumed on their own or served as an accompaniment to other dishes. These crunchy insects are typically caught in November using a torchlight and a huge white sheet, and they contain high amounts of proteins, dietary fiber, and fat. During the season, in November, nsenene are typically sold at grocery stores and local markets from huge plastic buckets and served in small boxes made of carton or tinfoil.

Nsenene

Nswaa is a traditional insect-based snack originating from Uganda. During the rainy season, people harvest the termites, then roast them with spices. One common way of preparation uses nswaa termites, garlic, tomatoes, canola oil, onions, chili, and salt. The onions are saut&eacute;ed, followed by the tomatoes, salt, garlic, and chili, The termites are then fried with the other ingredients and served in a plate. The dish is enjoyed by squeezing some lemon juice over it, or eating it with ugali. Due to the high nutritional value of the termites, this snack is loved by many people all over the country.

Nswaa

Tacos de chapulines is a traditional dish that can be found in the southern parts of the country. The tacos are made by topping small corn tortillas with a combination of grasshoppers, guacamole, pipian sauce, and lime juice. The grasshoppers are cooked in a skillet over medium heat, then sprinkled with lime juice. The tortillas are placed on a grill or a griddle, then spread with guacamole and topped with the grasshoppers and pipian sauce before serving. It's recommended to try tacos de chapulines in Oaxaca in the summer rainy season, known as tiempos de agua, when chapulines are easily caught.

Tacos de chapulines

Zompopos de mayo is a traditional dish of leaf cutter ants. These are the only insects that are consumed in the country. Due to the fact that the ants are seasonal, they can only be found in May during the rainy season. Once harvested, the leaf cutter ants are sold in the markets where they're roasted on the comal with salt and a dab of butter. Zompopos de mayo are served with salt and lime juice in a tortilla, but they're sometimes also added to guacamole. The flavor is usually described as being similar to roasted peanuts.