Various cultures around the globe have many traditions that they stand by proudly. Welcome to the ones we have in our country, South Africa. South Africa is not known as the rainbow nation for nothing. It is filled with many wonderful and unique experiences, tastes, and ... delicacies.
Would you ever feel the temptation to try bullfrog with a side of veggies? How about a juicy, giant worm? Not your thing? No problem, have a sip of calabash to clear the palate after trying one of these . . .
Mopane Worm – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana
AKA Imbrassia Belina
It’s definitely tasty, and although it isn’t your normal A La Carte cuisine, it is a staple for many people in Africa. Under the right circumstances, these little worms can grow quite large . . .YUM!
They are plucked from trees and bushes, given a good clean, and boiled up with ingredients such as garlic and tomatoes, or fried and eaten straight out the pot or pan. When cooked right, they’re said to taste just like chicken, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Tera Sega (raw meat) – Ethiopia
If you’re planning on trying this dish whilst in Ethiopia, I’d suggest Kifo. This dish is prepared in many ways, but the most popular options are either mitimta (raw beef marinated in spices) or kebbeh (raw beef rolled in a spicy chili powder and butter). Having the meat lebleb (warmed) is also an option.
Giant bullfrog – Namibia
The French find the lower half of a frog to be a delicacy, but in Namibia, they don’t stop there, they eat the whole thing! This is a very popular dish, but much precision goes into this preparation as it can be extremely poisonous.
Chitoum – West Africa, Ivory Coast
In short, this is a beetle. Served chiefly along the West Coast of Africa, this dark-colored bug is eaten dry as a crunchy snack. The bugs are caught, cleaned, and baked or fried until they are crispy.
Grasshoppers – Uganda
Locally, these jumping insects are called nsenene, and are traditionally roasted or fried before being spiced. To prepare them, the wings and legs are plucked off, and the remainder thrown into a pan to fry. They produce their own ‘oil’ when being cooked. Flavor them with salt, pepper or your choice of spices and enjoy.
Let me know what weird and wonderful delicacies are home to your country, or which of the above-mentioned ones you have tried!