Would you try this spicy frog salad?
Uh, if you are a true adventurer, you might say 'Ribbit' to this, but we have to draw the line somewhere...
We've seen grilled ice cubes feature as a popular street food in parts of Asia, not to mention spiced sautéed river rocks.
This prompts us to conclude that people in the East are not afraid of trying out new things, sampling flavours and foods that don't meet the ordinary but push the boundaries.
It's not the first time that we have heard about this particular dish, but seeing it being prepared somehow doesn't prepare you. Frog is considered a delicacy in Thailand, and isn't unfamiliar with French cooking.
"The frog, known as 'Kob' กบ in Thai, has many functions, one of which is a source of fat-less protein. These frogs are found in rice fields or in the jungles under damp conditions and are of the bullfrog variety, so they are fairly huge, about the size of a grown adult’s palm with fingers extended.
"The bigger they are, the more meat and the tastier. These frogs are now cultivated as the demand for them has grown and most villagers make a lucrative living from breeding these frogs for consumption." (Orbit Tours Thailand)
A video shared on social media shows a street vendor preparing the frog in a spicy salad.
It was unusual for us because we were unfamiliar with this delicacy, just as some foreigners might feel about South Africans and their chicken feet or tripe.
Watch the video below - courtesy of Instagram:
The humble frog became a popular dish in the northern parts of Thailand. It is said to be lean and tastier than chicken. There are various ways to cook frogs, and dishes can be spicy or non-spicy.
Frog dishes are not just a staple; they can be found in restaurants, food courts, and street stalls.
"Frogs became a staple in the Thai diet in the north as most people in the early days were agriculture based and frogs were plentiful in the rice fields and the wild. Meat was scarce, as having meat on the table was expensive and beyond the income of the average farmer's household. Frogs were a good source of protein, low in fat and high in protein value. Therefore, the frog leapt out of the rice fields into the frying pans of Thai cuisine!" (Orbit Tours Thailand)
Follow us on social media:
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Image Courtesy of Instagram