Although humans are creatures at the top of the natural food chain, sometimes we ourselves can't help but shudder when enjoying the dishes below. The reason is, the way these dishes are prepared is too brutal for the animals that are used as food for humans. There are many delicious and beautiful dishes in the world, but there is no shortage of dishes that make many people feel nauseous just by looking at them. Although they may even be a regional specialty.
Fresh monkey brains in Asia and Africa
This is one of the "scary", horror and somewhat barbaric dishes of Chinese cuisine. The live monkeys have their heads cut off to get the brain, the brain must be eaten raw to be right and effective. The taste of this horror dish is terrible when it mixes the smell of fishy blood with the smell of rotten flesh. This dish actually does not bring benefits as it is rumored. On the contrary, some cases have died from eating this dish because the monkey brain contains many bacteria and is not cleaned.
Sannakji
Sannakji (Live Octopus) in Korea is an odd dish that makes many tourists both curious but also quite cautious in enjoying them. Dishes made from fresh octopus chopped, served with sesame and sesame oil. Even after being chopped, the octopus tentacles are still moving, they will stick to the tongue and oral cavity of the diners. If not chewed carefully, they can stick to the throat, causing suffocation. Looking at the Sannakji dish with its tentacles cut off but still moving, many people wonder if the octopus is really dead or not.
One of the places to enjoy this dish is the Noryangjin Seafood Market, Seoul. Visitors can choose an octopus and wait for the chef to cook it on the spot for about 10,000 won (more than 200,000 VND). The large octopus is usually cut into pieces, while the smaller ones are placed in a bowl of water and eaten by diners. Although sannakji is considered a dangerous dish, Koreans still recommend this specialty to foreign guests because they think the culinary experience is very interesting.
Wasp biscuits in Japan
Biscuits mixed with wasps are a type of cake found in Japan. If you just look at it, you may not dare to try it, but this cake is considered to have an attractive taste due to the smell of delicious and crispy bees. This is a dish that for those who have a fear of insects will be bored. But in fact, this dish is considered to be very nutritious and delicious.
As the name suggests, the dish is a hard cake with a baking aroma, a light sweetness and a crunchy taste, and inside the cake are wasps full of protein. If you have the opportunity to come to Japan, come to Nagano Prefecture to enjoy this dish. Just like the name, this dish is very good for health.
Fried spiders in Cambodia
Tarantula is a poisonous spider, and the most famous horror specialty in Cambodia. This spider mainly lives in Kampong, a province more than 200 km southeast of Siem Reap. Not everyone has the courage to taste this dish. Cambodians often put live poisonous spiders in a pan of hot oil, stir until crispy. Waiting for the spiders to drain the oil, they sprinkle spices on top. When enjoying it, you will feel this dish is similar to deep fried crab legs.
Coming to the market in Skuon or other areas, visitors will not be surprised to see pots full of deep-fried black spiders. This spider here is a lot and has become a specialty dish. The black spiders are deep fried, served with rice, noodles or herbs. Those who have enjoyed this dish said it tastes like chicken, but you should only eat the legs because their stomach contains intestines and spider fluid.
Bat soup cooked with fruit in Asia
The culinary world always surprises us with the ingenuity and creativity of the chefs in preparing dishes. In many countries, it is also said: "Whatever moves, it can also be slaughtered". Because of that, the variety of dishes sometimes scares people. Among them, it must be mentioned the "famous" bat soup in many countries such as Cambodia, Palau or Guam. But "famous" because most people are afraid of turning green when they see this dish. When it comes to bat soup in Cambodia, people immediately think of a specialty of Kandal province. Like many other Asian dishes, it is believed that bat soup acts as a cure for diseases and is very nutritious for diners. For example, it is believed that bat blood can cure respiratory problems, and eating bat eyes will help you see better.
Tuna eyes in Japan
Tuna is an extremely nutritious food source and can be processed into a variety of dishes. However, for small fish, the ankle part looks normal and nothing to be afraid of. As for tuna weighing 40-50 kg or more, the eyes are quite large, equivalent to a tennis ball and usually weigh about 100-200g, so when cooking the dish, it will make many people``terrible". drop your chopsticks now.
However, these scary big black eyes are recognized by the world as having very high nutritional value, especially because they are rich in DHA and Omega 3 - two extremely good substances for the brain. Therefore, although it looks horrible, many people still have the courage to try it to enjoy this valuable source of nutrition. This dish is considered a favorite and nutritious dish of the Japanese. Currently, tuna eyes are widely sold in supermarkets in China and Japan. Tuna eyes are filtered out of blood to eliminate fishy smell and served with spices and mustard.
Grilled snails in France
Escargot is one of those dishes that takes French cuisine to new heights. This dish uses the main ingredient of snails, an animal that many listeners shook their heads in fear. Escargot is not a popular food but one of the most expensive dishes in the world. Humans have been eating snails for thousands of years. They have the advantage of being fatty, rich in water, rich in protein and other nutrients. Ground snails were very popular in ancient Roman cuisine, alongside wine and meat. The Romans brought this dish to countries such as France and England and taught the natives how to raise snails and artificially rain them to grow faster. One thing that makes many people afraid to eat snails is because they can contain disease-causing parasites. In fact, the main snail species used in escargot such as Helix Aspersa (European garden snail), Helix Lucorum (Turkish garden snail) and Helix Pomatia (Burgundy snail) can all be easily found. However, the process of turning them into safe food requires high standards.
