Are you someone who likes traveling and often considers yourself the adventurous type? One generally travels to new places to discover new things, the lifestyle and food habits of the people living there. But certain people travel as they are curious to try out all the delicious dishes in the world. Traveling to new places makes one aware of the lifestyle of the people residing there and gives us a clear picture of their food culture. Our world is full of exotic delicacies. Now it depends on how far you are capable when it comes to experimenting with food. Diverse parts of the globe have different exotic foods depending upon their culture.
The six most exotic food around the world to try while traveling are listed here.
100-Year-Old Eggs, Hong Kong
These purposefully rotten eggs are not hundred years old, literally! This is a Chinese egg-based delicacy where the eggs of hens, ducks, or quail are preserved in a mixture containing salt, clay, quick lime, ash, and Rice hulls. The preservation time ranges from six months to a year, and the yolk becomes dark green and has a powerful pungent smell. The pattern of the outer shell at times resembles pine branches. This delicacy is very strong in taste as well as smell. You can check the picture in stock photos.
Deep-Fried Tarantula, Thailand
Though Tarantulas are poisonous when alive, deep frying them converts them into a lip-smacking delicacy in Thailand! Being a popular tourist attraction, the spiders are fried for a while, and their texture comes out to be very crispy. The legs and the head are the crispest part, whereas the abdomen contains a slice of delicate white meat. But often, tourists are seen to avoid eating the abdomen area. From street vendors to expensive restaurants, this delicacy is widely available in Thailand. So if you are interested in experimenting with insect dishes, this is perfect for you!
Balut, Philippines
Having ducks as a whole is a prevalent practice in most parts of the world. But the uniqueness about the Balut dish, available only in the Philippines, is that a fully developed duck fetus is served. Though it might sound extremely bizarre, the people in the Philippines believe it to be an absolute delicacy. To get the perfect taste, the egg has to be pierced first, and the liquid inside has to be drunk, and then the embryo has to be eaten. Eating 17 days old Baluts is common, but certain people prefer Baluts when they are 21 days old, and the fetus develops beak and feathers.
Hakarl, Iceland
This is a famous delicacy in Iceland and has its supremacy in the Iceland Midwinter Festival. This dish is made of the meat of a rotten shark. The dead shark is first decomposed on the ground for a few months and then is transferred on racks for drying for a few more months. It gets ready when shark meat becomes white. This dish is trendy among tourists and is worth trying once.
Casu Marzu, Italy
When talking about Italian cuisine, pizzas and plates of pasta are what come to your mind, but the locals consider this unique cheese their supreme delicacy. This delicacy is a cheese made of sheep milk, but the twist that the locals think adds flavor to this cheese is the presence of live larvae of insects. Unlike most cheese-making processes, which concentrate on fermentation, Casu Marzu focuses on decomposition. These live larvae add an exceptional taste and texture to the cheese, which the locals boast, is not easy to forget.
San-nakji, South Korea
Octopus dishes are not uncommon throughout the world but eating live octopus is an adventurous thing that makes this Korean delicacy unique. This delicacy is a must-try for octopus lovers and consists of live baby octopuses served along with spices. Squid lovers can also enjoy this delicacy. This is a definite must-try if you are in South Korea.
Here are two bonus dishes for you that will surely make you drool:
Macher Paturi, India
This Indian delicacy originates from West Bengal and is a preparation of fish. Rahu and Hilsa fishes are used for this preparation. The fish is marinated with mustard, exotic Indian spices and then steamed in banana leaves. This lip-smacking delicacy is a must-try if you visit Eastern India!
Kompot, Europe
A very popular beverage throughout Europe, Kompot is a non-alcoholic mixture of various exotic fruits. It contains apricots, apples, peaches, cherries, and raspberries cooked in an enormous volume of water along with raisins and sugar. It is served hot during winter and is a must-try if you are exploring Europe.
Hence, these few delicacies are just the tip of an iceberg in the ocean of exotic food. Every country has its exotic cultural food, and many of them can be seen in stock photos. Though experimenting with food isn’t a cup of tea for many, these delicacies can be tried once when you visit these specific countries. Bon Appétit!
