EXPLORING MEAT FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Wherever you go in the world, you’re bound to come across people with varying tastes towards meat. Some prefer their steaks medium to rare, while others relish the thought of frog legs with their salad. However, you’d only really get to experience this extraordinary inclination once you’ve had the chance to travel and appreciate the different international dishes that make us all proud “meaties”.
If you’re planning on touring the world soon, here are a few meaty dishes you might come across on your adventures
Whole Stuffed Camel:
Forget riding them. Did you know that you can actually eat camel? This mammoth meaty bonanza is said to be a delicacy in the Middle East and other Arabic regions, particularly for sheikhs and their families at weddings. Upon arrival, the whole camel is cut open to reveal that it’s been stuffed with sheep, lamb, date palms, plover eggs and carp – talk about overkill.
It takes two days to prepare and is set on hot coals in a trench. What’s more, a whole stuffed camel is said to be the largest item on any menu in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records – bon appétit.
Mopane Worms:
Scientifically known as Gonimbrasia belina, Mopane worms are a species of moth found in Southern Africa that double as a traditional meal. Often picked in the wild, these worms are prepared by either drying or smoking them to add some flavour. They can be eaten raw if you’re hungry and need a snack and are said to clean the stomach of impurities.
You can also soak them in water to hydrate before frying them to a crisp. Mopane worms can be served with a side dish of relish and pap or sadza (a staple food consisting of cornmeal).
Crocodile or Alligator
If you’re in regions such as Australia, Southern Africa, or North America (in states such as Florida and Louisiana), you might be tempted to try this reptilian delicacy. The proverbial “it tastes like chicken” comes to mind when describing the flavour, but it has been said to have a dense, almost drier texture. Normally the tail is the most preferred part, but you may be lucky enough to get some alligator ribs.
It can be fried, barbecued, or stewed, depending on where you are and what you plan on serving with it. Remember to tell the person who’s preparing it to make it snappy – they might not get it, but we do.
Ox Penis
You read right: in some parts of the world you can treat yourself to the phallus of an ox, particularly in Asian countries such as China where eating ox penis is said to help with manliness. And we’d have to agree: only someone with a lot of guts would dare eat it, but we doubt it could actually help a man with virility. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, and served in a stew or on skewers. According to people who’ve had the opportunity of dining on the delicacy, it tastes astonishingly like fish left frying in the pan for too long. We’re not too sure about the taste and don’t think we’d like to know any time soon.
Travelling the world offers you the chance to encounter many oddities when it comes to preference in meat. You should learn more about these tastes and even try out some of these dishes as you go – you might walk away with a new craving for a meat that you never knew existed.