Top 10 Strangest Foods You Should Try

Humans are known for their strange eating habits, as they are able to eat almost everything that is there in the food chain. Every day, we discover new food sources and love trying new things. But the question is: how could someone dine eating things that are creepy, strange and which look disgusting.

You may want to try at least some of the food choices on the list before you die. You can really say that you have lived your life to the fullest and have experienced the cultures in multiple countries and not just one.

So here is the list of 10 strangest foods you should try at least once.

1. Fried-brain sandwich:

This is generally a sandwich with sliced calves’ brains on sliced bread. Thinly sliced fried slabs on white toast became global on menus in St. Louis, Missouri, after the rise of the city’s stockyards in the late 1880s. Although the demand and popularity has decreased, some of the restaurants still serve it.

The dish also remains popular in the Ohio River valley where it is served heavily battered on hamburger buns. Mom and pop restaurants in Evansville, Indiana still serve the dishes as well.

2. Fogu:

The sea offers a number of strange aphrodisiacs. One of the weirdest and also the deadliest sea creature is referred to as the blowfish or the fugu. Japanese chefs must be specially licensed to prepare and serve this somewhat deadly delicacy. Studies have demonstrated that the toxins in this aphrodisiac can be more lethal than cyanide, causing the mouth to become numb. As the numb wears off, people tend to experience a lingering tingling on their lips and inside their cheeks.

Why the popularity? The tingling causes sexual arousal.

3. Drunken Shrimp:

This is one of the cruellest, but very popular dishes in China. The shrimps are eaten alive and are prepared in strong liquor called bajiu to make it easier for consumption. It is served in different types of fast food restaurants and can be prepared in just 30 seconds. If you are not up for this, you can try marinating the shrimps in alcohol and eat them dead.

Be forewarned that if your body is not used to eating uncooked shellfish, you shouldn’t try it. It could pose a health hazard and a risk of paragonimiasis.

4. Bugs:

There is a term for eating insects and it is called entomophagy. It is fairly common in many parts of the world, except in Europe and North America. It is not too uncommon to find vendors who sell fried grasshoppers, crickets, spiders and worms on the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. It was even popularized on the television shows called “Fear Factor” and “Survivor”.

If you are on a diet, you should know that insects are high in protein and consist of important fatty acids and vitamins. Next time you drink something and notice a dead fly inside, don’t get scared. It may be healthy to eat it. 😀

5. Sea Slugs:

If you are in Korea, you might want to try their delicacy, a sea slug. Koreans would slice them into pieces, throw away the utu and give you the fish with a yellow sauce in a cup. It is crunchy and tastes like radish.

If you are wondering what sea slugs are, they are basically saltwater snails that lack a shell or have only an internal shell. It is a paraphyletic name used for various lineages of marine gastropod mollusks that are either non-conchiferous or appear not to be non-conchiferous.

6. Tuna Eyes:

In Japan, this dish is served with garlic and soya sauce. The dish is not too bad; if you can get over the fact you are eating something that is starring right at you.

The dish is fairly uncommon to be served, including places like Japan and Southeast Asia. The eye has a fatty, rich flavour that many eaters really enjoy and is served in many sushi establishments.

Be forewarned, you should not eat it raw. It should be cooked for 1 minute with eyes facing up. After the minute has passed, you can cook it with 1 tbsp. of soy sauce. Continue cooking the eye until the soy sauce has evaporated. Serve immediately with a fresh slice of lemon.

7. Ox Penis:

Many western countries serve this delicacy for dogs. In the Far East it is a common snack and the taste is inexplicable, unless you have tried it yourself. The dish can be served raw, but is most often cooked by steaming or deep-frying.

Try putting it in your mouth. It is quite long and could actually strangle someone. But…quite a delicacy.

8. Balut:

Balut refers to a fertilized duck embryo that is developed between 13-19 days in the egg and is eaten as a delicacy in many countries in Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Although Balut is cooked in boiling water with salt, there are many fancy ways of making this dish.

Why try it? Products like Balut are a male enhancement. It’s like Viagra, which is the best-selling drug for gaining and retaining erection. As many people know, the penis is made of cartilage, not muscles. When flow is increased into the penis, the blood cells pull together at one spot, causing an erection. Because Viagra causes this increased blow flow to the penis through the use of chemicals, the duration and intensity can vary. That is why drugs like Viagra come with warnings.

If you are unwilling to taken Viagra, try Balut. This is one of the most ancient methods and historical cures for lack of sexual endurance.

9. Alligator Tail:

This is a popular dish in Louisiana and Florida. It is mostly served fried and tastes like fish and rubber tires (in a good way). Almost like calamari, but naturally salty.

If you ever go to the New Orleans Jazz Festival, you might want to stop by a restaurant that serves this dish. You’ll get quite a workout eating the dish, but it is well worth it.

10. Ikizukuri:

This dish is very popular in Japan. If you are visiting Japan, they give you a live sea animal of choice from the menu and serve it on a plate within minutes.

Ikizukuri basically refers to “preparing alive” in Japanese and therefore freshness is always assured, especially if you are not a big sashimi fan.

When they say Japanese sushi in Japan is different, they actually mean it. This is a perfect example of a dish that will never be served in the Western culture.