Weird But Yummy: Strange Asian Foods

As a traveller, you'll undoubtedly encounter a strange treat or two when travelling through Asia, which is home to some of the craziest delicacies in the entire globe. The 'ick factor is the only thing keeping you from filling up on everything from Laotian duck blood soup to crispy Thai scorpions.

Here is our selection of the weirdest Asian foods. Would you be brave enough to indulge in the following unique treats?

12 Weirdest Asian Foods You Should Try At Least Once

12. Scorpion

Fried scorpions are a terrifyingly popular snack in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and China. There are numerous differing opinions regarding the flavour of scorpions. Some claim it has a chicken-like flavour, while others claim it tastes like crab. 

Nevertheless, regardless of how tasty these creatures are, their sharp shells will inevitably become lodged in your teeth if you are not careful. Luckily scorpion venom is neutralized when it is fried in oil. There is also the belief that consuming the sting can increase a man's vitality and virility.

11. Chicken Feet

Chicken feet are a popular snack in Thailand, Laos, and China. These are crunchy, gelatinous, a little rubbery, and boney. Prepared typically by grilling or deep-frying and sold as a street snack. 

In the northeastern region of Isaan in Thailand spicy chicken feet salad is a popular dish prepared with green Thai chilli peppers, tomatoes, coriander, and fish sauce.

10. Frog

Frogs are well-known snack in China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Cambodia. With the Cambodian version the frogs are usually stuffed with peanuts, pork, kroeung paste, and coconut and grilled over hot coals. This is a popular street food known as Kang kep baob. 

Furthermore, during the rainy season, the frogs hop about openly, making them an inexpensive and simple-to-obtain commodity for those who sell them.

9.Centuries Eggs

Century eggs are also known as preserved eggs, millennium eggs, skin eggs, and black eggs, to name a few. These eggs can be duck, quail, or chicken eggs that have been preserved for weeks to months in a mixture of ash, salt, clay, rice husks, and quicklime (depending on the procedure used). 

The egg white transforms into a brown jelly with a salty flavour during this process. The yolk turns grey-green and acquires a pungent sulfuric odour. You can purchase century eggs as a street snack or in Dim Sum restaurants. Intriguingly, they are also served as part of the appetizer platter at Cantonese weddings.

8. Rat

Rural residents of Thailand, Laos, China, and Taiwan have consumed rat meat for centuries, but according to a 2012 BBC report, rat meat is now considered a delicacy in Thailand and costs more than chicken and pork.

Rats are an ideal food source for those with little money who reside in remote areas, as they are generally abundant and only rats captured in rice fields are cooked and consumed by most people.

7. Durian

Durian is a fruit native to Indonesia and Malaysia and is consumed widely throughout Southeast Asia. However, it is also enjoyed in parts of China, southern India, and Sri Lanka. 

The 'King of Fruits' exterior is yellow-green and spiked, while the flesh is yellow and juicy. Many consider durian as the fruit with the worst flavour in the world, but it is believed that this assessment is somewhat exaggerated. Durian has a unique combination of sweet, savoury, and creamy that must be experienced, even though it has a strong odour that sometimes makes it unlikely for others.

There are also other varieties of durian such as durian candy, durian cake, durian tart, and more.

6. Tuna Eyeballs

Tuna is renowned in Japan. Since the country is already known for serving some of the world's finest fish dishes, with sashimi and sushi becoming international favourites, they also have a few regional delicacies that have yet to gain widespread popularity. 

Tuna is a prized fish, and no portion in Japan is wasted. Therefore, Japanese chefs prepare tuna eyeballs in various ways. Some diners may prefer them steamed, boiled, or deep-fried, while others like them raw.

The best news is that this "eye-catching" delicacy is not a guilty pleasure. Due to their high protein and fatty acid content, the Japan Health Association included tuna eyes on their list of healthy dishes a few years ago. Many locals who cannot afford tuna meat regularly find the cheaper eyeballs as an excellent alternative, especially at the renowned Tsukiji Fish Market.

5. Puffer Fish

The Pufferfish, also known as Fugu in Japan and Bok in Korea, is one of the most expensive delicacies from this part of the world. This dish is costly and deserves a spot on this list of the most unusual foods in Asia because many people have died after eating improperly prepared Pufferfish. 

If you want to try this exotic Asian delicacy, you should go to a reputable restaurant with a master chef to prepare this dish.

4. Chicken Butt

Chicken butt is one on the list of very unusual foods. People from Asian do not like to waste animal parts in general and hence are always looking to make every bit count. Therefore, even the bottom portion of the chicken is not left out. Deep fry it in oil till crispy, this chicken potion has now become one of the most famous street foods in Korea.

3. Balut

Balut is a growing bird embryo (typically a duck) boiled and eaten directly from its shell. The optimal age of a fertilized egg is 17 days when the chick has not yet developed claws, feathers, or a beak. Although it is a staple street food in the Philippines, it is also popular in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and other Asian nations. 

Regarding eating methods, it is generally recommended to begin by sipping the broth in the eggshell after cracking. The remaining shell is peeled away, and the chick and yolk are consumed together with salt or vinegar. In addition to being served as an appetizer in restaurants, Balut is frequently incorporated into omelettes and pastries.

2. Snake or Scorpion Wine

Ruou thuoc, which also means medicine wine is famous in Vietnam and is made by infusing animal remains, particularly those of snakes and scorpions. In ancient China, it was regarded as an elixir that restored and revitalized a person's health during the Western Zhou dynasty. 

Raw herbs, such as ginseng, are combined with the animal and stored in a large jar of alcohol made of earthenware. Typically, a distilled liquor containing at least 45% alcohol is used, and the bottle is left for several days to several months, allowing ample time for the venom to be neutralized.

Local folklore considers snake and scorpion wines natural medicines, and they are frequently prescribed to treat back pain, rheumatism, and lumbago, as well as for their aphrodisiac properties.

1. Cricket and Grasshopper

These unusual street foods are popular in Thailand. This practice originated in Thailand's rural areas, where rice field workers have consumed insects as a daily snack for centuries. In the fields, grasshoppers are captured, brought home, and deep-fried to prepare a tasty snack. Surprisingly, insects are a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Some scientists believe insect farming would be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than raising cattle. This is because small, protein-rich animals require little space to reproduce.

Conclusion

"You are what you eat," as the old saying goes. Well, it turns out that your thoughts are the same way. What you think depends on what you think about. If you want to be more creative, you have to give your mind new and interesting things to think about.

We all eat things together that sound, well, gross, but make us feel good on the inside.

In line with this, regardless of the preparation method, these weird Asian foods reflect the lifestyles and sometimes even the histories of the communities from which they originate. So, I hope you found the weirdest Asian food you want to try next on our list.

FAQs

1. What is Japan's most popular snack?

Jagariko is the most popular snack in Japan.

Jagariko is a crispy potato stick in a cup with a peel-off lid. They are one of the most popular snacks in Japan. There are so many flavours that you're sure to find one you like.

2. Which cuisine is the most famous among Asian countries?

Chinese cuisine

Chinese food has become one of the most popular types of Asian food, and there are different kinds of Chinese food based on where you are.

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