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Many travelers indulge in many adventures in their lifetime, but how adventurous is your palette? The world is full of magnificent dishes that would appease any foodie out there, however, how daring would you be when it comes to certain countries delicacies that you wouldn't find on the menu at just any restaurant. From the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Europe, and South America, locals eat foods that might be less common than others, but delicious just the same.
Although they may not appear to be at all appetizing, you'd be surprised at just how tasty some of these dishes truly are. We've compiled a list of the 25 weirdest dishes from across the globe that will really make you wonder. From creatures and critters, raw and alive, the world is full of interesting dishes that aren't for the faint of heart. How many would you try
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25CHICKEN FEET: EAST ASIA, CARIBBEAN, SOUTH AMERICA & SOUTH AFRICA
First up on the list is some good 'ole chicken feet! This dish is often found in numerous places across the globe, which might not qualify it as "weird", but an interesting food choice just the same.
In regards to the flavor, you would be surprised to know, it tastes just like chicken. Many who have tried chicken feet before have noted its delicious flavor, when seasoned right, but have admitted that the bones do get on your nerves after a while, and understandably so!
24KHASH: MIDDLE EAST & EASTERN EUROPE
Here we've got some Khash! This interesting dish is found commonly in certain countries throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Turkey!
It is a pretty gross dish that is made up of stewed cows feet and head, yes that's right, cows feet and head.
Now, that may sound hard on the ears (and stomach), but it is considered to be a winter comfort food and delicacy! It has a beef-like taste and is served often times with a broth to keep you warm and satisfied. Although the appearance may come across as troubling, the taste itself is quite decent, at least that's what we have heard.
23TUNA EYEBALLS: JAPAN
We aren't so surprised to see this one here. Tuna eyeballs is a common dish native to Japan, and are served with a side of sushi and sashimi, sold in grocery stores, shops and an array of restaurants throughout the country. It doesn't have the most appetizing name or look, but it is quite a tame dish in regards to its taste.
Many claim it has a similar taste, and texture, to squid or octopus.
Sure when we think of eyeballs we picture the gunk and slimy texture associated to a normal eyeball, however, that doesn't appear to be the case here, which makes it as popular a dish as it is.
22HÁKARL: ICELAND
Moving on to Hákarl! This native Icelandic dish is as "weird" as it seems. The rotting carcass of a Greenland or basking shark is buried underground in a shallow pit and pressed with stones to eliminate any of the poisonous internal fluids that allow the animal to live in such cold waters.
After draining, the meat is hung out to dry before being cut into strips and served.
Although it might be able to redeem itself, chances of that happening are quite slim. World-renowned chef, Anthony Bourdain, referred to Hákarl, as "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing", now if that doesn't make you want to try it, we don't know what will!
21SURSTROMMING: SWEDEN
This Swedish dish is next up on our list of weird foods found across the globe. It is a Baltic sea herring that is fermented with just enough salt used to prevent it from rotting. It is often stored in cans/tinned in brine, that is available for purchase in just about any grocery store throughout the country.
When it is opened, it releases the most pungent aroma that it usually needs to be ingested outdoors to stop it from stinking up your home.
Several online networks such as BuzzFeed, had their employees try this Swedish delight, and behold, their reactions are reason enough to pass on your next serving of Surstromming.
20100 / 1000 YEAR OLD EGG: CHINA
Although the name may be misleading, as the egg is not a century nor millennium old, it is, however, quite rotten. The egg is preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, and quicklime for several months, allowing the yolks to turn green and sometimes black and slimy, all while the white has turned into a dark brown translucent jelly.
In addition to its unappetizing appearance, the smell is known to be quite reminiscent of sulfur and ammonia, but actually tastes just like a hardboiled egg, that is until you breathe out.
19WASP CRACKERS: JAPAN
Wasp crackers, they are exactly what they sound like, crackers, with wasps in them. Now, think chocolate chip cookies, only replace the delicious chips of chocolate, with insects.
The simply biscuit is baked in with dead wasps that are then served along with your choice of tea or coffee.
We agree wasps are definitely annoying creatures, but to put them in a cookie is a very interesting choice, to say the least. Although their sting is no longer a worry, we're not sure if that is the most alarming aspect of this dish.
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18FRIED SPIDER: CAMBODIA
We're almost certain you've seen this before! Native to Cambodia, and other countries throughout Asia serves these eight-legged creatures as a crunchy snack.
Fried spider is known to be a delicacy throughout the popular town of Sukon, and is prepared by mixing the dead spider with MSG, sugar, and salt and frying it in garlic.
We must admit, that does sound quite good. The spider has quite a lot of meat on it as well, but also has a sludge within its abdomen that consists of innards, eggs and excrement, deee-licious!
17WITCHETTY GRUB: AUSTRALIA
Next up on the list is some Witchetty Grub! We wouldn't expect this to be an Australian dish, but, alas, it is. Part of the Australian "bushmeat" family, it is a staple dish to the Indigenous Australians in the desert.
They can be ingested either completely raw, which is said to taste like almonds, or lightly cooked, where its skin crisps just like a roast chicken all while its insides have a scrambled egg-like consistency. We can't say this is the worst on the list, but definitely not one we're running to the land down under to try.
16SAGO DELIGHT: SOUTHEAST ASIA
Sago delight is found in several Southeast Asian countries. The edible sago grubs are known to be quite creamy tasting when raw or meaty like bacon when cooked. Now that sounds pretty darn good if you ask us. It is generally seasoned and flavored in the same way as other Southeast Asian crawly creatures are, and have an appealing texture despite what you might think it feels like in your mouth.
Although it sounds alright, beware, because sometimes you might find some of these creatures are still pregnant when served, and that's a surprise we're sure you weren't expecting.
15BIRD'S NEST SOUP: SOUTHEAST ASIA
Another Southeast Asian delicacy is Bird's Nest Soup! Again, the name is exactly what it is, a soup, made from a bird's nest. Although Western bird's nests comprise of twigs and sorts, ones found in Asian countries are made from the swiftlet bird, which creates its nest out of its own saliva, which then goes hard when exposed to air.
So, essentially, it is a soup made from bird saliva, yum!
It has a "rubbery" taste, and the nests are only found quite high up on cliffs, so attempting to harvest them is quite dangerous, but must be worth it for the result.
14KANGAROO: AUSTRALIA
This dish might be a hard one for some to learn about, but Kangaroo is a food! The staple meat for Indigenous Australians is quite high in protein and low in fat, making it a pretty healthy choice.
It does have a gamey flavor and can be served several different ways, from a simple Kangaroo steak, sausage or burger.
Many animal rights groups fight against the hunting and harvesting of kangaroos for meat, while many claim the farming of native animals massively reduces greenhouse emissions. So, not only is Kangaroo delicious, but also great for the environment, that is if you can get passed the whole Kangaroo part.
13BALUT: PHILIPPINES
This next dish can be quite hard on the eyes, and stomach, but surprisingly, this Philippino dish is more popular than one would think.
It is made from a developing duck embryo that is boiled alive within its shell.
Not only is the plain sight of 'Balut' difficult, the mere sound of what it is, is quite harsh. The end results is also very unappetising, considering you are eating a duck embryo in full form, but is still sold popularly as a common street food throughout the country and served with beers.
12SHIRAKO: JAPAN
Shirako, found in Japan, is just a fancy term for the cod's sperm sac. This animal's reproductive organs are a popular one throughout Japan and they are apparently soft and creamy to taste and can even be served up steamed or deep fried.
Now, we can't say this is the most appetizing to look at or hear about, but the people of Japan, and its many tourists, stand by this dish as being quite delicious.
11COBRA HEART: VIETNAM
Cobra Heart isn't a fancy code name for something else, this dish is quite literally a cobra's heart. Served in Vietnam, the struggling snake is sliced open right in front of you and has its heart removed into a shot glass of its own goo.
You then ingest the heart as it still pumps! This dish sounds more like a sacrificial tradition than a delicacy, but to each their own, right?
10CASU MARZU: ITALY
Casu Marzu may look like a delicious wheel of cheese, but do not be fooled by its deceiving nature. This dish is also referred to as "maggot cheese", considering it has maggots forming within it. The dish is made up of sheep's milk and is famous for containing live insect larvae.
The wiggling maggots are known to "enhance" the flavor of the cheese and can be eaten alive, or perished, once they've been suffocated in a refrigerator.
If eaten alive, the maggots can often time survive the stomach and make way to the intestine, all while still moving around. Uh, no thanks.
9HAGGIS: SCOTLAND
What have we got here? Haggis! This dish is native to Scotland and is comprised of sheep's heart, liver and lungs all minced and mixed with an array of ingredients. Once minced, it is mixed in with onions, oatmeal, suet and seasoned with salt and other cooking spices.
If that doesn't sound appetizing already, it is later cased within an animal's stomach lining and ready to be served.
Many claim this dish is delightful, while others stay far from it, we guess there is truly only one way to find out. Bon appetit!
8TRIPE: NATIONWIDE
Next up on the list is tripe! This dish is commonly found across the globe, negating its "weird" status, but we had to keep it on here just the same. Tripe is made from the stomach lining of various animals and has a sponge-like honeycomb texture, which is enough for some people to say, no thanks.
It also has a sea plant-like look to it and a very rubbery texture, which doesn't sit well with everyone. Often times, tripe is used in dishes such as soup and is served with various sauces to add flavor or an accompaniment of onions and other sorts of veggies.
7BLOOD SAUSAGE: NATIONWIDE
Also known as Black Pudding, Blood Sausage is found in a lot of countries throughout Africa, America's, Asia and even Europe. It is a widely available dish across the nation, however, a large number of people still find the idea quite icky.
The dish is made up of congealed blood, mhm, blood, that is cooked up with various natural flavorings, thickening agents like suet and breadcrumbs, that is later stuff into a sausage skin casing, yum! It can be eating alone, atop a piece of bread, or mixed in with pasta too, the options are endless.
6STINKHEADS: ALASKA, UNITED STATES
Ah, Stinkheads. Now, if you are at a restaurant in Alaska, and see "Stinkheads" on the menu, your first instinct must be to order it right? Wrong. It doesn't get any more Alaskan than this!
The fermented head of a king salmon is buried underground for a few weeks and eaten as a pungent, putty-like mush.
It is, in fact, a popular dish throughout the state of Alaska, however, the appearance and description is definitely a no from us. We love fish as much as the next person, but this is taking it to the next level.
5BEONDEGI: SOUTH KOREA
Beondegi, known as 'silkworms' is a common dish found throughout South Korea. It is often located within street markets and food stands across the country and served on a skewer. They are simply boiled or steamed and seasoned ever so lightly with an array of spices that fit your palette needs.
It is known to be a "snack" rather than a meal and is said to taste like, well, wood. Now if wood is your thing then we're sure you'd love a good serving of 'Beondegi'!
4ESCARGOTS: FRANCE
Now this is a dish that has been popularized in countless films, and culinary shows. The fancy name, and pronunciation deem it as "fancy", however, at the end of the day, you are eating snails, people.
The dish native to France is cooked in a sauce of white wine, garlic, butter, and parsley served in their own shells.
It has a similar consistency to that of mussels or clams, and have been noted to be quite rubbery. We recommend trying them for the first time in a Parisian restaurant, and not the satay version down an alleyway in Hong Kong, just saying.
3FUGU: JAPAN
Ah, fugu! This popularized dish made famous by 'The Simpsons', is actually quite scary! Fugu, also known as Pufferfish, is one of the most deadly foods if prepared incorrectly. The toxins of a pufferfish are enough to completely send someone into paralysis and their impending demise.
Now, why would anyone risk their lives for this dish?
Only chefs that have been trained and drilled to perfection are allowed to handle the serving of 'fugu' and it is known to truly complete any sashimi dish out there. If you are going to try pufferfish, do so in a restaurant that is known for their quality top chefs, unless paralysis is your thing.
2FROG LEGS: FRANCE, SOUTHEAST ASIA & OTHERS
Oh, frog legs. These will leap into your mouth, leap, get it? Moving on. This dish, found in many countries in Europe, Asia, and South America, uses the back end and back legs of a frog, that is then grilled, baked, fried or stewed.
It is known to have a chicken-like texture, and very faint taste of fish, that makes it quite a popular meat dish. It is popularly served as part of Cantonese cuisine or roasted and served with a garlic and cream sauce, delicious if you ask us.
1FRIED RATTLESNAKE: UNITED STATES
Last on the list is some deep fried rattlesnake! It definitely doesn't get any more American than this. Much of the Southwest of the United States love their fried rattlesnake. Apart from their bad reputation of biting people and killing them, rattlesnakes are known to be tasty.
It is said to taste similar to frog legs and when seasoned just right, it can be quite a delicious snack. Experts do advise those making fried rattlesnake to boil the meat off the bones first, and then proceed to dip it in egg, its seasoned flour mix, and breadcrumbs. All that's really left to do is deep fry it, and eat away!
References: ultragross.com/ thetravel.com
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