Kia ora whanau, and welcome to Term Four! It’s the last term of the year, so I’ve decided we should bring back a classic: ‘Milli’s Top Five’. Every week this term, I’ll be counting down my very own top five of something strange and bizarre, from the craziest laws on the planet to the weirdest world records ever set. At the end of every article, there’s a Kahoot where you get to vote for the one you think is the craziest. This week, we’re starting with something we all have in common: kai! These are my top five weirdest foods in the world.
5. Huhu grubs (Aotearoa)
Coming in at number five, we’re starting right here at home. Huhu grubs are the chunky, cream-coloured larvae of the huhu beetle, which is New Zealand’s biggest native beetle. The grubs spend two to three years living inside rotting logs, munching their way through the wood until they’re about as long as your thumb. Māori have gathered and eaten huhu grubs for hundreds of years, and they were a handy source of protein and fat in the forest. They can be eaten raw, or cooked over a fire until the skin goes crispy. People who’ve tried them say they taste a bit like peanut butter, or buttery chicken, which honestly doesn’t sound too bad! If you want to try one yourself, they’re often on the menu at the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival on the West Coast. Just maybe don’t look too closely first.
4. Fugu (Japan)
At number four is fugu, or pufferfish, and it might be the most dangerous meal you could ever order. Pufferfish are the fish that blow up into a spiky ball when they feel threatened. Parts of them, especially the liver, contain a poison that is far more deadly than anything you’d find in your kitchen cupboard, and there’s no cure for it. That’s why in Japan, chefs must train for years and pass tough tests before they’re allowed to prepare it. They carefully cut away the poisonous parts, then slice the meat so thinly you can almost see the plate through it. It’s often arranged in the shape of a flower, which looks beautiful. Fugu tastes quite mild and a little bit chewy, so most people say the real thrill isn’t the flavour at all. It’s knowing the danger behind every bite.
3. Fried tarantulas (Cambodia)
In third place, we’re heading to the town of Skuon in Cambodia, where people snack on big, hairy spiders. Fried tarantulas became popular in the late 1970s, a very hard time in Cambodia’s history when food was difficult to find and people had to eat whatever they could catch. The spiders turned out to be filling and full of protein, and the snack stuck around. Today, they’re a famous street food, and lots of visitors stop in Skuon just to try one. The spiders are tossed in garlic, salt and a little sugar, then fried in oil until crispy. People say the legs are crunchy like chips, while the body is softer and a bit gooey in the middle. Many reckon they taste a bit like crab or chicken. Would you be brave enough to crunch on a leg?
2. Bird’s nest soup (China)
Coming in at number two is bird’s nest soup, and yes, it’s made from a real bird’s nest. Even stranger, the nest is made out of bird spit! Small birds called swiftlets build their nests high up on cave walls in Southeast Asia using strands of their own saliva, which hardens like glue. Workers climb tall, wobbly bamboo poles and ladders to collect them, which can be very risky. The nests are then soaked, cleaned of feathers and cooked into a sweet soup, where they turn soft and jelly-like. On their own, they don’t have much taste at all. People in China have eaten bird’s nest soup for hundreds of years, believing it’s good for your health and skin. Because they’re so hard to collect, the nests are one of the most expensive foods in the world, costing thousands of dollars per kilogram.
1. Casu marzu (Italy)
And my number one weirdest food is… casu marzu! This cheese comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, and it comes with a surprise: live maggots. It starts out as a normal sheep’s milk cheese called pecorino. Then the top is cut open so cheese flies can lay their eggs inside. When the maggots hatch, they eat through the cheese and break it down until it’s soft, runny and very strong-tasting, and some people say it makes their tongue burn a little. Many people eat it with the maggots still wriggling, and here’s the wildest part: the maggots can jump! Some diners cover their bread with their hand to stop them leaping into their face. Because of food safety rules, casu marzu can’t legally be sold in shops, but some Sardinian families still make it the old way.
Comprehension Questions
1. Why do chefs in Japan have to train for years before they’re allowed to prepare fugu?
2. What are the nests in bird’s nest soup made from, and why are they so expensive?
3. Fried tarantulas first became popular in Cambodia during a very hard time in the 1970s. Why do you think people kept eating them, even after that time had passed?
Your turn to vote!
So there you have it, my top five weirdest foods from around the world. Would you be brave enough to try any of them? Vote for the one you think is the weirdest, and I’ll share the results next week. Ka kite anō!
SMART Prep | Quick Question 
