Weird Asian foods — 10 famous weird foods in Asia dare you to eat

There’s so much to love about Asian cuisine. Korean BBQ, fried rice, sushi, teriyaki chicken, and dumplings… I could eat Asian food every night of the week. But the inescapable fact is that there are also some bizarre foods in Asia that challenge even the most ardent of food lovers. Here are some weird Asian foods from across the continent.

Weird Asian foods — 10 famous weird foods in Asia dare you to eat

1. Unhatched baby duck egg

This dish is very popular in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos … In of them, duck eggs are incubated for 16 to 20 days, then boiled and eaten with vegetables, fresh ginger, and sliced lime. Most foreigners will not brave to eat unhatched baby duck egg because it feels like a scary dish.

2. Natto

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish – consisting of fermented beans. It’s slimy with a strong and distinct flavor; it’s also often compared to smelly cheese. It’s often found disgusting by foreigners for its repugnant taste, smell and texture.

3. Tarantula

Cambodians from Skuon began eating tarantulas during the years of food shortage under the Khmer Rogue. But even as starvation became less and less common, tarantulas remained a part of that region’s cuisine. Apparently, tarantulas are crispy on the outside with white meat in the head and body and taste vaguely like chicken or cod. As far as bizarre foods in Asiago, this is one I can barely even look at, dead or alive.

4. Drunken Shrimp

When I first read about drunken shrimp, I assumed the shrimp would be steamed in some delicious broth of wine and spices. But this Chinese dish isn’t on our list of weird Asian foods for nothing: the shrimp are indeed drunk, alive and swimming languidly through a pool of strong liquor. The eater is given the upper hand, as the alcohol slows down the movement of the shrimp. First, decapitate your victim, then pop the still wriggling body into your mouth.

5. Durian

Although the color is very eye-catching the famous fruit of this Asian countries are not pleasing Western visitors. For many people, the smell of durian is quite uncomfortable so they have to seal their noses away a hundred meters. Many visitors cannot eat this fruit even if it is only one piece.

6. Stinky Tofu

It is considered the Chinese dish of the past. The stinky tofu has a taste like a rotten fertilizer, but with people who eat them, they taste extremely delicious ecstasy. This dish is usually fried crispy, served with cabbage salt and soy sauce. For Western visitors, trying to eat tofu is definitely a difficult and unforgettable challenge.

7. Funazushi

Some consider funazushi a luxury dish. It’s fermented carp – taking more than a year to prepare. It’s said that sushi originated from funazushi.

8. Fugu (Pufferfish)

Fugu is a pufferfish dish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. The consumption of fugu has resulted in a lot of cases of poisoning. As a result, it’s strictly regulated. To be a fugu chef, one must undergo a three-year apprenticeship. Additionally, this fugu chefs-in-training have to pass a series of rigorous exams to become fully certified. It’s said that only 35% of applicants pass.

9. Ika Ikizukuri

Ika ikizukuri is somewhat of a controversial squid sashimi dish. Sashimi is often prepared by killing the animal first, but for this dish, the ika (squid) is sliced up while it’s still alive. Due to its freshness, the tentacles can sometimes be felt moving about in your mouth.

10. Shirako (Cod Milt)

Shirako is a creamy Japanese delicacy that consists of male cod genitalia and sperm. It’s sometimes eaten raw as sushi or eaten boiled with ponzu sauce.