How To Cook Common African Bugs
Posted on: 15 December 2015
If you'd like to dive into exotic cuisine, including meals that are served in certain parts of Africa, you'll have to consider eating food that you may have viewed as unappealing in the past, including bugs. If you want to take this daring step, you can purchase edible insects online and have them sent to you canned or live. You will then need to learn how to cook these insects. Below are a few insects that are challenging to prepare but still rewarding to eat.
Spider Tarantulas
Spider tarantulas are a challenge for those used to western palettes, but the end result is a delicious, exotic treat. One tasty approach is to batter-fry your tarantula. Usually, the abdomen is severed from the rest of the tarantula since it contains the heart and digestive system. However, this part is also edible if you want to try it.
You likely won't want to eat the spider's hairs, so use a butane cigarette lighter to singe the hairs off. Then, you can easily brush off the remaining hairs from the legs. Create a tempura batter and coat the tarantula in it. Then, place the spider in hot oil and deep-fry it.
Beetles
Beetles taste good when they are cooked properly. For instance, they can be dry-roasted and then placed in soup. Roast the beetles in an oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until they become crispy. Then, crush the beetles and place them in a soup. You can also use the crushed beetles to make a tasty dip.
Ants
Live ants are difficult to prepare without getting bitten. Therefore, you should place the ants in a container, then freeze the container to kill them. After a few hours, you can thaw the ants, spread them on a cookie sheet, and cook them in the oven at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a crispy treat.
Grasshoppers
Since some grasshoppers carry parasites, you should always cook grasshoppers thoroughly before eating them. You'll also want to remove the legs and wings. As with ants, you can freeze the grasshoppers to kill them and make their legs easier to remove. If you remove the grasshopper's head before cooking, you'll simultaneously remove the stomach and many of the parasites. Still, even if you remove the head, make sure you cook the grasshopper before eating it, and wash it completely to remove any dirt.
Once they are cleaned and prepared, place the grasshoppers on a cookie sheet. Cook them at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for at least an hour to make them very dry. Then, when eating them, season them with salt and pepper.
To get a taste of other exotic cuisine options, buy African food online, then head to the kitchen to create a delicious meal.
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