The world is not as simple as it looks to be. When we talk about food items, there is a huge variety of strange food in the world. Some of us are on a quest to find new flavors while others want to discover perfect dishes. One of the best things about traveling is you will come across unusual foods from around the world. Traveling for food is the mainstay of exploring more about the most unusual foods. You can also use the word “weird food”, but it will become more judgmental. The food explorer has brought some unusual dishes to different cuisines. Continue reading to know about the most unusual foods from around the world.
Escamol: Mexico
Escamol is a dish native to central Mexico, and it was once considered a delicacy by insect caviar. The light-colored ant egg shows a resemblance with pine nuts and white corn kernels with a slightly nutty taste. Furthermore, Mexicans harvest the light and white-colored larvae of ants from maguey plants. It possesses a nutty taste and has a poppy nature. Moreover, escamol is known as strange food around the world. Due to their cottage cheese and buttery taste, you can serve it with onion, butter, and chili. Escamol can be found in omelets and tacos or served alone.
Casu Marzu: Italy
Italian cheese is known worldwide, and we know you have also tried mascarpone or mozzarella before. Have you heard about Casu Marzu? It is famous from unusual food list and a special type of cheese that originally come from Sardinia. This Italian cheese has brought the eating game to the next level. However, it has some health risks, but you can still get it in Italy’s black market. Furthermore, this cheese is considered a strange food from Italy.
Fertilized Eggs: The Philippines:
The fertilized egg from the Philippines is the most unusual food. This Philippine dish is also known as Balut, and these eggs are boiled. They are popular as hearty snacks due to their large protein content. The people from the Philippines prepare this unusual food with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, coriander, and black pepper. The way of eating this dish is to open the egg, sip the broth, and eat the yolk as well as the fetus.
Surstromming: Sweden
Surstromming is one of the most unusual foods from around the world, and it can be found on supermarket shelves all over Sweden. Moreover, Surstromming is a fermented baltic herring and mostly serves in spring. The fermentation process of this strange dish took one to two months. So the cans often bulge during storage and shipping because of this continuous fermentation process. When the can is opened, it smells like fermented fish. You can usually eat it with boiled potatoes and crispy bread. Sometimes people drink water or milk with it. However, different airlines have banned these cans because they are considered potentially dangerous.
Excrement Coffee: Indonesia
Excrement coffee is one of the most unusual food from Indonesia, and if someone offers you a cup of this coffee, you may think twice. Have you ever heard about Kopi Luwak? It is the most expensive gourmet cuisine in the world that is made from the excrements of an Indonesian cat-like creature known as Luwak. This coffee is considered the most unusual food from around the world, and the fermentation process of beans gives this coffee a special aroma. This process of making this coffee initially took place in the islands of Sumatra in the Indonesian Archipelago. If you want to try this gourmet coffee, you should have $120 to $300 in your pocket.
Maggot Cheese: Sardinia
This Sardinian cheese is commonly known as maggot cheese, and you can consider it in the unusual food list. Like Casu Marzu from Italy, this cheese also has some health risks. It is made from sheep milk in combination with Piophila Casei, and cheese fly. The fermentation occurs when larvae digest cheese fat, so the texture becomes very soft. This cheese is also known as one of the most unusual foods because of the reason of different allergic reactions caused by consuming it. The intestinal larval infection can also occur due to the more utilization of this cheese.
Pufferfish: Japan
The Pufferfish is also known as Fugu is the ultimate delicacy in Japan. Its skin contains the poisonous toxin tetrodotoxin that is 1250 times stronger as compared to cyanide. Therefore, only expert chefs with licensed restaurants are allowed to prepare this dish. We suggest you to try this unusual food only from the licensed restaurants, otherwise you will have to face serious health conditions. More than fifteen people were died in Thailand because of this fish.
Century Egg: China
The century egg is food with preserved delicacy and one of the most popular Chinese snack food. The structure of this egg is similar to that of a regular one. The thing that makes it the unusual food in the world is the jelly-like exterior and dark brown translucent. The yolk is creamy and green-colored. Traditionally the century eggs were made by duck eggs and coating chicken in clay, but nowadays, they are preserved with an alkaline mixture of wood ash, lime, and salt. The white part of the egg becomes jelly-like which is further decorated with pine trees or snowflakes. It provides a springy texture to the soft yolk that takes on earthy, and pungent.
Jing Leed: Thailand
Usually, one will find animal meat sausages with chicken wings for street food. However, the people of Thailand have a unique taste for savoring insects. Jing Leed is the weirdest food and it is referred to as fried crickets seasoned with pepper powder, chili, or salt. The exotic food lovers explain that Jing Leed tastes like juice squirts and hollow popcorn.
Caviar of the East: China
One cannot even think that a bird’s nest would be edible. However, the Chinese use Swift’s nest to make the most unusual food. The soup is also known as bird’s nest soup. The swiftlets are next predominantly out of saliva which is something that makes this dish unique. Moreover, it is one of the expensive things with a rubbery texture. With an increase in demand for bird nest soup, manmade nesting sites have become normal. Hong Kong and the United States are the largest importers of birds’ nests, and a bowl of this soup can cost $30 to $100. Therefore, the soap is believed to have unique qualities in addition to its nutritious protein content.
Haggis: Scotland
Haggis is the most unusual food from around the world that comprises of sheep’s offal mixed with onion, oats, spices, and suet. The haggis is easily available in supermarkets and being served in restaurants. You can either make it from beef or lamb. Some common ingredients of haggis are:
- Nutmeg
- Lamb or beef trimmings
- Oatmeal
- Onion
- Salt
- Coriander
- Black pepper
The recipe tastes good, and its texture is something to get used to. It is surprisingly peppery with crumbly sausage. The oats in this strange food are made it a hearty meal by giving it a pleasant earthiness. However, different meat dish types in the world come with similar preparation and ingredients.
Black Pudding: America
If you have never been to the UK, you may consider black pudding to be a custard-like and black color dessert. However, black pudding is an unusual food, and only Americans can understand the term. Black pudding is a blood sausage composed of pork blood, cereal grains, shortening, and seasoning. The chef cut the black pudding into a dish and serve it as a standalone item. Including black pudding in your menu is a fantastic way to add uniqueness and delicacy to the event. The culinary tastemakers believe that the black pudding is different from other sausage traditions because of its signature herbs such as thyme, mint, and marjoram. The most common cereal grain used in this most unusual food is oat groats, oatmeal, and barley.
Pickled Egg: UK
When someone talks about what are some unusual food, then they should consider the pickled egg. It is one of the weirdest foods in the world. The pickled egg is a hardboiled egg that is cold and struck in a vinegar jar. The sour liquid penetrates right to the heart because of its powdery yolk and flavor. Moreover, it is a high-protein snack that is easy to make. If you want to make it, you have to start with hard-boiled eggs and a jar. After mixing all the ingredients, marinate it for one to two days. Some people use the canning method to prepare it. However, this traditional way is not impressive because you need a lot of equipment and steps to prepare it. You can serve the pickled egg with seasons and red onion.
Steak Tarte: France
Steak Tarte is an unusual food from around the world, and chefs around the world make this dish with different recipes. The main ingredient of this dish is raw beef. Moreover, steak Tarte contains chopped or minced uncooked beef mixed with add-ins. You can serve it with caper, onions, Worcester sauce, and rye bread. The vogue named the dish steak Tarte which refers to sauce Tarte, but this version is rarely seen today.
Cherry Blossom Meat: Japan
Cherry blossom meat is horse meat that is usually eaten raw or served as sushi. It is one of the most unusual foods in the world that originated from Japan. You can serve it with soy sauce or salt. The dish is low in fat, and calories. The southwesterly island chefs have specialized in making this dish with delicacy and named it as cherry blossom. It is raw horse meat, and its texture has lured fans to the city of Kumamoto. Diners love to eat this dish in thin slices, dipped in soy sauce, and served with grated ginger.
Lahmacun: Turkey
Lahmacun is one of the famous Turkish fast food. The dish is super thin flatbread topped with lamb mixture and spicy ground beef. It is like pizza and served with a topping of lemon juice, salad, and minced meat. This Turkish dish is full of flavor, and it is a popular street food in Turkey. The dish is widely known as Turkish pizza because it has a round shape and is topped with a mixture. Lahmacun has a thin crust and is always topped with ground beef mixture.
Stargazey Pie: England
Stargazey Pie is a Cornish dish made of baked pilchards with potatoes and eggs. The dish is covered with a pastry crust, and you can make a few changes in ingredients. This strange food originates from the Cornish village of Mousehole in England. It is one of the famous dishes, and you will find it in almost all popular restaurants in the country.
Conclusion:
There are different unique, strange, and unusual foods around the world. As a traveler, you will come across different ideas, concepts, and lifestyles that are beyond your realm. In this way, you will get a chance to explore new cultures. We have explained unusual foods lists from around the world with interesting and unique recipes.
Connect to Nutrigastro:
Nutrigastro is a well-recognized company offering exclusive services to its clients. We know how to prepare delicious food by adding different spices and tastes. You will get various types of meals according to your choice. We have a professional team, and they know how to cook in a creative and best way. Our experts will provide you high-quality goods, and also suggest what to eat according to season. Therefore, if you want to enjoy healthy food, don’t waste your time and contact us. We will serve you according to your choice and taste.
