10 unusual delicacies from living creatures
The time of holidays is approaching, when many will go to distant countries and, of course, they will hardly resist the temptation to try the local exotic cuisine.
However, from the menu of resort restaurants, it is not always possible to understand in advance what you will have to deal with. It may, for example, happen that you are offered a dish, which includes still living “ingredients”. To avoid unnecessary surprises, today we will tell you about ten such “living delicacies”, as well as some of the risks associated with eating them.
(Total 10 photos)
1. Sannakchi.
A fairly well-known and widespread dish in Korea. Its main component is small octopuses, which are served still alive, seasoned with sesame oil and sesame seeds. They are served whole or just freshly cut tentacles. The main "feature" of this dish is that when you start eating, the tentacles continue to writhe. By the way, there is a risk that the suckers on the tentacles will stick to the throat of the chewer.
2. Sea urchins.
In Italy, locals often catch sea urchins themselves and immediately eat them. Since the edible part is inside, hedgehogs are opened using special tools or ordinary scissors. They eat an appetizing treat with a spoon, or simply lick the insides with their tongue.
3. Odori Ebi is sashimi made from small live shrimp. Japanese delicacy.
In arthropods, the shells are removed, sometimes along with the head. Then they are quickly fried and served with a special sauce. In restaurants, this is one of the most expensive dishes. Since how to properly cook shrimp so that they stay alive, not every cook can.
4. Drunken shrimp is a Chinese delicacy.
Very similar to Japanese sashimi "odori ebi". But here, only adults are used for cooking, which are served while swimming in the high-grade Baijiu drink. In the dish, shrimp are very active - they move, jump, and even try to escape. The task of the gourmet is to quickly catch the fleeing delicacy and swallow it, chewing it thoroughly. If the chewing process was of insufficient quality, the delicacy will continue to move inside.
5. Salad of ants.
You can taste it in the network of restaurants "Noma", scattered around the world. For only three hundred dollars, you can taste a salad of chilled live ants here. Exotic lovers claim that the dish tastes like lemon.
6. Casu Marzu cheese comes from Sardinia.
Cheese made from sheep's milk is infused to the stage of decomposition and is populated by cheese fly larvae. They eat cheese, making it softer and less greasy.
7. Frog sashimi.
The animal is gutted and cut up and served to the client. At the same time, the frog's heart must still beat. In some restaurants, chefs offer to watch the preparation of the dish.
8. Ikizukuri.
This is one type of fish sashimi. Elite Japanese dish. In restaurants where this delicacy is prepared, there is always a large aquarium with different types of fish. The client chooses any fish he likes, and in a matter of seconds it, gutted and beautifully butchered, appears on his table. Despite all the procedures performed, the fish remains alive. Her heart is beating and she opens and closes her mouth.
9. "Yin and Yang."
Many people are familiar with this concept. But in our case we are talking about living and dead fish. To prepare this dish, the fish is gently deep-fried without damaging the internal organs. Thus, the fish remains alive for another half an hour after cooking. Although this delicacy causes a lot of controversy, it has remained quite popular for more than one year in expensive restaurants.
10. Oysters.
Many do not realize that oysters are always served alive. After death, their taste sharply and rapidly deteriorates. Oysters die only when we separate them from the shell and put them in our mouths.