A while back, when my Thai gf was increasingly pregnant, she developed an even greater craving than usual for certain delicacies from back home (Isaan, Yasothon)...
(Click on any of the pics to see the full-size versions...)
bamboo larvae
Six legs is only a minimum criterion, however. Anything up to a hundred, even a thousand, will do. Alternatively, she'll settle for no legs - earthworms are another delight that I have yet to discover. Along with certain species of venomous arachnid, and giant black wasp larvae...
A selection on offer at a Warorot Market stall, Chiang Mai: crickets, cockroaches, bamboo larvae, wasp grubs, water beetles ...
But don't think me squeamish! I have eaten giant water beetles. Bamboo larvae (maggots to you and I, but 'larvae' sounds better somehow). Cockroaches (I am assured that the ones sizzling in the pan aren't captured near the city drains at the dead of night, but are collected and brought in from the countryside). Crickets (the legs tickle the throat a bit). Even scorpions (a bit like eating crab technique-wise, except they are not really big enough to crack open to obtain the flesh. So if sucking away until you are blue in the face doesn't work, you usually end up munching until there's no taste left, then spitting out the inedible crunchy remains). Impressed? Well, you shouldn't be. When I say eaten, what I really mean is sampled. One, at most a couple of each variety, liberally washed down with Sang Som Thai rice 'whisky'. After close examination to check that they have been cooking away for long enough to ensure that they no longer have any moving parts.
Scorpions, venomous snakes, giant geckos, in rice alcohol (click on pic for full size)
The trouble is, that when the people of Isaan eat these delicacies, they do so in large platefuls. They stuff them down with a relish that you wouldn't believe. Such gastronomic foodfests are a regular happening.
If you felt the unaccustomed chill of last 'winter' in Thailand, the inhabitants of Isaan have a solution. The dog markets have been doing a roaring trade. Locals insist that eating dog helps to keep you warm. If eating dog doesn't do the trick, try some Lao Kao, a clear rice alcohol from Isaan, combined with the bitter contents of a cobra's gall bladder. 40° proof.
If bear's paw and gecko lizards are on the menu, this could have a rather enduring, uncomfortable and possibly embarrassing effect. To be eaten with moderation, I think, as reputedly both are recommended for those needing a little 'lift' in their sex life. As my gf so delicately put it ... good for boom-boom!
A 'surprise' dish for me, invited to a meal. What could the above dish contain? It was a bit like a chewy version of chicken, with a slightly gamy flavour. To start with I guessed at some kind of bird - not even close. King Cobra was the speciality of the evening. I of course expressed my delight and thanks, and chewed my way through much of my plateful. Pretty tasty too to be fair, although the skin, prepared in this way, was thick, elastic and.. well.. rather disgustingly gooey (sp?) actually. Might have been ok fried, but in a spicy sauce, not my thing.
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So, battle-hardened travellers... do you all get stuck into the above with gusto... or are you only really playing at being expats, with secret stashes of farang food hidden in your homes?!
(Ok I think at least one poster here is a veggie - pathetic excuse
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