Unusual Foods From Around the World

Read if you have a stomach of steel!

Travel broadens our mind! An array of sights, sounds, noises and smells surprise and delight us as we venture into new countries and break away from our usual routines. Another exciting part of travelling is the opportunity to discover new cuisines, and foodie holidays are very popular these days whereby people travel with the goal of sampling local foods. With the multicultural society that we live in, it’s easy to pop down to our local high street and sample Indian food, Chinese food, Japanese food etc. but it will always be more authentic and interesting when cooked and savoured in its home countries by the locals. Often dishes cooked in the UK are changed to cater to taste buds that are not quite ready for the same amount of spice, and certain ingredients cannot be sourced.
 
For us, the really exciting and interesting thing about travel is trying the unusual foods that you would not find on a menu in the UK. Some would say that there is good reason for this but we say embrace it and try it! We have put together our own little list of unusual foods from around the world, which is a sort of ‘Traveller’s Bushtucker Trial’.

Tuna Eyeballs - Japan
Well if you eat fish and you take fish oil, why not eat Tuna Eyeballs? Just pluck out that little eye ball and suck it up, why waste parts? If you can get over the concept of your dinner watching you as you lift your fork to your mouth then we have been told that it is actually quite yummy and tastes like squid! You can pick up tuna eye balls in most Japanese shops for a really reasonable price, so make sure that it is on your shopping list here.

British Airways are launching a new route to Osaka, Japan from March so grab a great deal and plan to visit this amazing country. Remember, Japan also has some of the best sushi and Kobi beef in the world in addition to the more unusual delicacies.

Durian fruit - South East Asia
If you have travelled around South East Asia, then it is likely that you have seen signs in hotels or on public transport saying that you cannot carry Durian fruit. Durian fruit is a large prickly fruit and is considered to be the king of fruits in countries like Thailand and Singapore due to its super fruit status, being rich in iron and having lots of vitamins and nutrients. So why can’t it be taken into public spaces? Well the smell is extremely pungent and will hit your nose like a brick. Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain said that after you have eaten it “your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother” and if that is not a celebrity endorsement then we don’t know what is!

Thai Airways is a great airline to get you over to Thailand, and remember there are lots of amazing local dishes to try if Durian is not your thing including Thai red and green curry, Thai beef salad and pad Thai.

Fried frog - Cambodia
When I went to Cambodia, My companion and I decided to try some of the local bar snacks including the dish in the photo below which we believe was fried frog. We were hopping with excitement when it arrived but a little disappointed at the lack of meat on it. Other unusual foods in Cambodia include fried spiders, and there is a town called Skuon also known as ‘Spiderville’ which is famous for its huge fried tarantulas. There are other edible insects that tourists can try here such as scorpions and grass hoppers. These insects are eaten in many countries around South East Asia and if you walk down the famous Khao San Rd in Bangkok, Thailand, you are likely to be approached by a vendor selling them on skewers.

You can book a flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia with Qatar Airways. If spiders and frogs aren’t your thing, remember there are also some lovely dishes such as fish amok, Khmer red curry and lime and beef salads that you can savour.

Chicken - Singapore
Here in the UK, we are big fans of roast chicken but for some unknown reason, chicken porridge or chicken heads have never quite taken off! In Singapore, you can try both of these dishes and also the steamed chicken dish below which I found in a food hall here. Chicken heads are also a delicacy in China and the Philippines where the contents of fat and gristle are a crunchy sensation to behold (so we have been told!)

Singapore Airlines was nominated as the best airline in the world at the Skytrax Awards 2018 so it’s the perfect airline to get you to Singapore. There are lots of other mouth-watering dishes to try in Singapore including Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chilli Crab and Laksa.