Bizarre Foods In India?

[copicgo]

Here are some exotic/bizarre dishes from India:

1. Jadoh - Rice dish cooked with either pig or chicken blood. It is popular among the Jaintia tribes of the North East India,
2. Nahkham - Very stinky dish made of fish, vegetables and distilled ashes.
3. Dogs, spiders, pork, beef, crabs, cats, chicken and even elephants are considered a delicacy in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur’s tribal communities.
4. Eri polu - Silk worm!

I'm ALL about trying new foods, but the last one is going to give me NIGHTMARES!

How exactly do they cook spiders? That's a dish I never imagined would be something to eat in any country. I don't think it'd be very nutritious. Does this mean they might also eat other insects and bug-like creatures?

 

[oneself]

If you happen to visit Delhi, I would strongly suggest that you visit the old delhi market. It is filled with diversity of steet food that range from sweet to extremely spicy. It is one place where you can get the taste of the age old recipes along the modern food. When there do consider eating from the wide variety of meat incase you are a meat lover.

 

[Bayleaf]

It's certainly true that what one person calls bizarre would be classed as normal to somebody else depending on were they're from.

I think most countries will have food that won't appeal to everybody, and even here in the UK there are meals that a lot of people won't eat unless they're from that particular part of the country.

Yes, I agree. Look at black pudding for example. Try explaining that to people from some countries and watch them gag, except in places like Korea where they have a similar dish called sundae. They eat silkworm there too. The smell of some unusual foods puts me off, and the thought of others does the same, but I have eaten snake, and some kind of fried spider.

 

[phoenix2015]

Even though I never tried any bizarre food, I can point out a few of them below :

- I heard that people of Goa and Sikkim eat frog legs. They believe that it is has some medicinal quality to cure stomach diseases.
- Chapra is a very unique chutney being used by people of Chattisgarh. What makes it so special is that it is made of red ants and their eggs.
- In Kohima, Nagaland you can find snail stew, steamed hornet larvae and silkworm curry on the street food stalls.
- In Meghalaya you can find a dish called Doh Kheh. It is nothing but steamed pig's brain.

Frog legs are delicious. They are eaten in France as well. They taste like chicken!! I think I'll pass on the red ant chutney, the snail stew, the silkworm curry, and the pig's brain. Though not too much on the idea of silkworm curry, I am going to eat loads of curry and naan when I get to India!!

 

[Namiee]

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman is a show I love to watch often. Recently an episode came on and their travel destination was India. If you know anything about the show, he basically eats foods that are considered bizarre to American standards. On this particular episode Andrew was walking through a market with every kind of food you can and can't imagine. It was amazing to see the variety of food they offered. Is this commonplace in India to have such markets? I'm planning my trip, I want to make sure that I can experience this. Where can I do that in India? Feedback much appreciated!

Oh! I can totally help you with that. I was recently in Kohima (Nagaland) not too long ago, and while walking back to my hostel, I'd noticed there was some street food being sold. One thing that people advise to not do while in India is eat street food, especially when away from larger cities, but I took a chance and ordered "Snail Stew". To be honest, I was reluctant to eat it at first (my friend had dared me to do so), but it definitely shocks your tastebuds!

It was almost like a mix between French escargot and spicy Korean stew. There was a spicy version and a non-spicy version.

If you do decide to go try Snail Stew, I would definitely advise adding a good helping of fresh vegetables! And, as a bonus, order "Steamed Hornet Larvae". It has a really distinct taste...

But in general, go ahead and try it! There is no distinct place, but if you choose to go to Kohima (which is also known for it's interesting cultural tribes and is gorgeous), you should definitely dive headfirst into their cuisine. It's very unique!

 

[Barty]

I love watching Andrew Zimmerman! What was it that he ate that was so bizarre in India? I'm curious to know. I'm not sure which country it was, but I once saw him eating some wormy cheese that was supposedly a delicacy. Yuck!

 

[Indyra]

I love watching Andrew Zimmerman! What was it that he ate that was so bizarre in India? I'm curious to know. I'm not sure which country it was, but I once saw him eating some wormy cheese that was supposedly a delicacy. Yuck!

Wormy cheese? I agree - yuck! I am open to trying certain things, but if it is still crawling, forget it. Does India serve up things like insects, I wonder? Those don't exactly appeal to me, either.

 

[arthnel]

I agree that what we are mainly talking about is Bizarre foods as we see it from our own country and point of view. Yes the wormy cheese was terrible but the real point is that the coin can be flipped. There are foods we love in the US that I'm sure Indians would find bizarre too. I'm not sure how well roasted cows head and goats balls would go down for them. It's just fun trading stories.

 

[MarySeba]

Hey there,

Go to Nagaland.. They eat dog meat.. This is so common there. They will make you eat and you will not know it..

 

[Rezonate]

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman is a show I love to watch often. Recently an episode came on and their travel destination was India. If you know anything about the show, he basically eats foods that are considered bizarre to American standards. On this particular episode Andrew was walking through a market with every kind of food you can and can't imagine. It was amazing to see the variety of food they offered. Is this commonplace in India to have such markets? I'm planning my trip, I want to make sure that I can experience this. Where can I do that in India? Feedback much appreciated!

I love that show ! It makes me want to travel to different places and experience different cultures. India is definitely on my list because of their culture and my love for it, thank you for sharing !

 

[Rose @ Walnut Acre]

I grew up eating frog legs so that doesn't bother me. But I don't think I could stomach some of the other things listed in this thread, especially spiders! It gives me the shivers just to think about it.

 

[arthnel]

Frogs legs don't seem bizarre now that I've tried them a few times. They are real tasty. I'm not up yet for things like scorpions and spiders. The spiders I've seem people eating on Bizarre Foods are super huge and meaty but just to imagine how creepy and crawly spiders are is my major turn-off. I've been in situations where people ate donkeys, iguana, cow and goat brains. I've had the brains and they were good. I gladly declined the others.

 

[CityLites]

For things that aren't totally overwhelming but still hold some amount of exoticism, I recommend liver. Goat liver/Lamb's liver is a delicacy, eaten throughout India, and is pretty tame if you like liver and onions in the US. As far as the various insects go; I guess if I thought about it people need to eat. However I'd never heard of people eating arthropods in India, learn something every day.

 

[jnorth88]

As someone who has a lot of French friends, I don't see what is bizarre about frog legs. they are pretty tasty and all meat. I think they are a bit like rabbit or chicken. I would be interested to try them in India.

 

[arthnel]

All in all I know Indian food tastes perfectly well with their mix of seasonings and spices. I think I would be willing to try a great variety of food stuff done with Indian cooking skills. That does not mean I'm all the way bizarre yet. My lady friend is asking me about trying snake, but I'm not that adventurous outright.

 

[jnorth88]

Snake is actually really good. It reminds me of alligator, which is a lot like chicken. But some really bizarre Indian foods are the insects, and cow urine. Cow urine has medicinal properties, and can be had fresh at the cow temples. I won't be trying it though.

 

[djordjem87]

I think that there is no bizarre food. I was working as a chef for some time and have been involved in kitchen since my early age and I realized that only people are different and regions. The cultures and customs as well .What is bizarre and strange in my country, Serbia, for example it might be an everyday thing in Madagascar. It was a randomization to make a point. We do not eat grasshoppers and it would be something my people would do only for money. Not including enthusiasts like me. Some cuisines have these things roasted and eaten like chips.

 

[jnorth88]

Well, I mainly agree with you sentiment. Most foods are not a problem. But there are certain ones which are plainly ridiculous. For example, in Iceland, they have rotted fish, fermented and pickled whale blubber, and other fermented things. It is absolutely disgusting, and hard to eat if you are new to the cuisine. But it has a place, because they would have starved historically without these foods, a lot of which were from whales washed up dead on the shore.