Ancient animal discarded as chicken feed now a delicacy, priced at a few hundred thousand VND per kilogram

This dish is truly remarkable, with its golden color, fragrant aroma, and crispy texture. It has a delicate hint of sourness and a touch of richness that is absolutely delightful to taste.

0
173

Crickets or also known as “flying shrimp” used to be caught by people to feed chickens. It was also a childhood food for many people. But later, crickets became a specialty, costing about 250,000 VND/kg. In many beer bars, crispy crickets are loved by many people.

Empty

If you can buy crickets, you can prepare them into a delicious dish for your family to enjoy. If you don’t know how, you can make crispy crickets using the recipe below:

Ingredients for crispy crickets:

– 200g crickets

– 1 bowl of pickled cabbage water (or salted eggplant water, salted bamboo shoots)

– 1 teaspoon of concentrated fish sauce

– 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate

– 10 lime leaves

– 2 teaspoons of salt

– 1 chili pepper

– 2 teaspoons of lard (pho spoon)

How to make crispy crickets:

Step 1: Preparing

– Remove the wings and spines of the crickets, wash them clean. If you’re careful, you can squeeze out the guts and rinse it several times to clean it.

Step 2: Blanch the crickets

– Boil a pot of water with salt to blanch the crickets! Put the crickets in to blanch for about 1 minute.

– Then, pour the blanched crickets onto a strainer to drain the water.

Step 3: Fry the crickets

– Preheat the pan, add the crickets and pour in the pickled cabbage water. Cook until the pickled cabbage water is dried.

– Then add the lard to the hot pan and pour in the crickets to fry.

Add fish sauce, monosodium glutamate to taste, stir well, fry until the crickets are golden and crispy.

Empty

Transfer the crispy crickets to a plate, sprinkle with sliced lime leaves and chili, and stir well! Or you can also add lime leaves to fry with the crickets near the end, it’s also very fragrant.

Now you can enjoy the crispy and crunchy crispy crickets with a light sour and fragrant taste!

Wish you success!

Frequently asked questions

The animal is called a swamp eel, or ‘lươn’ in Vietnamese.

Swamp eels were considered a pest by farmers as they would often feed on the blood and flesh of chickens, hence they were discarded or used as chicken feed.

Swamp eels are now considered a delicacy in Vietnam due to their perceived health benefits and unique flavor. They are believed to be rich in protein and other nutrients, and are said to have medicinal properties.

The price of swamp eels can vary depending on the region and the season, but they generally range from a few hundred thousand Vietnamese dong per kilogram.

Yes, catching swamp eels can be challenging as they are often found in hard-to-reach places, such as deep wells or underground. Traditional methods of catching them include using traps or fishing rods.

Swamp eels can be prepared in a variety of ways, including grilling, steaming, or frying. They are often served with a variety of herbs and spices to enhance their flavor.