Normal lunch or no exotic

For some reason, a person who returned from the tropics is very often asked: he helped snakes there? In any case, many asked me about this when I came from Burma, where I worked on vacation. Given to people these snakes! As if no dishes are more and more. Honestly say: snakes did not try. Although I had the opportunity, and not one,

Somehow in the kindergarten in front of the house, where I lived in Rangune, the gardener killed a long, almost two-meter snake. It was not a poisonous snake, but the so-called "rat". She eats rats and other rodents. For my question, why he deprived the life of a useful smaller creature, Birmanaan happily answered:

– Tasty dinner you prepare. First, plunge the snake in boiling water, then I cut the whole skin with her. We charge and grind meat with spices, – and immediately added, – Yes, you come to visit tonight, try. You will not regret! VKU-U-Usno.

I referred to employment in this evening. I since my childhood, the appearance of the snake causes a mystical horror.

Another time, returning from the Swedagon Pagoda, I noticed a group of men in the nearby park. They stuffed something in a big bag. Going closer, I saw that they were trying to roll a huge python bay. He filled his whole bag with their mass, so the killers had to hire a taxi to take extraction home. Hospitable Burmese, seeing my interest, buried and began to invite me for lunch. I became politely thanked sad, sadly that tonight, unfortunately, I am leaving from the city.

But do not snake the same man, whether he is even a birmano. There is something else. Once I had the idea of ​​walking around Ranguna, his interesting corners and find out what strange delicacies for us are included in the Rang Ground menu. To the marched, my good acquaintance of wines moine, expert local attractions.

And we went to the market. On the side of the road, the elderly vendor. It was a wide wicker tray filled with insects. Large and fried. It turned out that these are crickets, but tropical. They are several times more than our. I became interested in goods. Noticing this, the lady began to praise:

– Buy. Fresh crickets fried entirely, with intestines!

I decided to buy several insects to consider them closer. Sell ​​crickets piety, very cheap. The merchant immediately selected a dozen of the largest and put into a plastic bag. The smell they resembled omelet or – even rather – roasted caras. Very appetifier. But the view: shell, mustaches, paws, all kinds of processes and pary. My buddy launched his hand in the package, caught a grasshopper and appetizing cool, gesturing inviting me to follow his example. I tagged saying that it is not yet hungry.

Somewhere I read that one of the faithful ways to solve an acute food problem on the planet is to commit people to eat insects, so rich in protein. Before arriving in Burma, I considered this proposal is nothing more than curious. Now, looking at the basket, full of fragrant fried crickets, was ready to change his mind. I remembered how in the evenings on the dark Rangne ​​streets people with lanterns in the hands of catching crickets. In the twilight, there is a whole (as it turned out, nutritious) pole from midges, beetles and butterflies: tons and tons of purest squirrel:.

From reflection about the fate of mankind, I was distracted by sucking under the spoon. It’s time to eat something.

We went to the chinese quarter. Maybe I thought, here we will find something more acceptable than fried crickets. But, by the way, on the corner of the street there are ferry with boiling peanut butter. Something is preparing in them. Surely – not crickets! For sure. Approaching my God. Frying pans are full of huge fat larvae. Near the slide of Frenev. Brazier’s owner, a semi-seamers-semi-winged mighty tattooed hands take a chock, deftly splits her with a large knife. Inside the huge larva. On my mute, the commercial question answers:

– Great beetle, it is even called a bird.

From the explanation there was that this beetle larch the larva only on the low-spirited mangall palm tree Tinbown. – And how to find out – I’m interested in, – in which trunk there is a larva, and in what no? Do not cut down the same larvae for the sake of a whole grove?

– Very simple, – CHINETS. If the palm tree dried, then inside the larva.

Our conversation is interrupted by the wife of a merchant, an energetic fat colors:

– Yes, you first try, and then let’s talk, – noticing on my face a complex gamut of feelings, the merchant strengthened agitation – you do not doubt. Just look. Larvae after all feeds exclusively wood fibers. She has the cleanest meat. Clean does not happen.

– And the taste like? – I ask, in order to somehow support the conversation and slightly remove the tasting.

– As boiled egg; even better! – Responsible Strayakuha.

Around us gathered a small crowd of young guys. Some of them, as it seemed to me, looked for fried larvae. See a dish on an amateur. I decided to recoup potential consumers:

– Havory! Eat as you want. I will pay.

And what do you think? From those who wanted not to take away. Swallowed larvae for a cute soul. The hostess explained that it was not necessary only fried. Good and raw, even lively. It is only necessary to skillfully bite the sheepy larvae tooths. Some began to absorb and alive. I hurried to pay.

To the wines of moint, realizing that I would not let down on the larvae, stopped the merchant, which was carried on a tray something like sherry. Looking around, I differed very small, pathetic carcasses puzzled with chopsticks.

– Sparrow! Fried sparrows! – Screaming Birmanca.

– Take? – offered a friend – sparrow meat delicious. In addition, increases potency.

I waved my hand. Just not enough. There is a hunt, and he.

Located in a restaurant. Ordered more rice, boiled vegetables, Burmese seasoning – Ngarey. The basis of it is, how to say the painful, rewinding fish. Sprocket seasoning, nothing to talk. True, puzzled with a pepper, spices, quite edible. We ask the waiter to give a frog – I wanted to translate the spirit of exotic. Now just a frog season. Soon the dish appears on the table. With Chiken. White meat, bones. Maybe the waiter was wrong? Troubl. For sure, chicken. I look for the feeder to make a suggestion. But it turns out that I’m wrong. The waiter was even offended: the most real frogsatin. Well, he will appeal to good guests a chicken? To taste Flagsatin really looks like chicken. The waiter to finally dispel my doubts, offers:

– Want, I will bring and show you a live frog? We have special, huge. They sit in a barrel with water. – I believe, I believe, – hurried to say I. And then, how did the wines of the wines, Mient got into memories of how in childhood, in the village, he loved to be a fried frog caviar. I immediately pushed a bowl with a frog, away and drop in rice. From the World Pepsi Cola we refused and decided to quench the thirst with some local drink. Better than sugar cane juice with ice and lemon, you can hardly think up. The juice is extruded from reed peeled stems right on the street with a special juicer. Greenish liquid flows around the groove in the sudine. Of course, the flip of flies. Anyway. I want to drink. The taste of the drink is shining, but refreshing. I would characterize it like this: Enjoyable. Still, rather, the first. Moreover, we drink juice together with the owner of the juicer, smiling, a pretty girl. Her cheeks, as, behold, densely frown to tanaka local cosmetics.

On the way home I think: you need to buy something for sure. Go on a small fruit and vegetable bazaar near the river. And immediately in the nose hits a rather unpleasant smell, like a heavy bow, only worse. Yeah, then there are Durians. And for sure. On the shelves, and then j and just on Earth are the whole mountains of large fruits, similar to green heroes. Do not pay, if you can, attention to the stench. They’re sweet. True, I’m not a big fan of Durian. But since I have a day of exotic food today, I buy one "Hedgehog".

I go home with my wines in the evening. I wanted something again. Quickly read more potatoes, fringe with the left. I invite a friend to divide the meal. Yes, my deception from old Moscow stocks remained in the refrigerator! I suggest a piece of wines moine. He disgusted with disgust:

– I’m sorry, I will not be raw fish. I can not. Now if you fry.

Well, I do not. Although a lot of years have passed, it still becomes bad when I remember a disgusting siege of the herring, which Vietnamese students fry in our hostel. I gave Miortht’s wines ordinary boiled fish, and rummaged her herring. He looks at me with horror and distrust.

After the potatoes, I try not to breathe, thoroughly the sweet meat of Durian, and my buddy took the box with pickled, or rather, the teas leaves are swept under. In addition to leaves, the package includes bags with fried peanuts, sesame, garlic and small grasshoppers. Win Mjint takes a pinch of insects and sends to mouth. – Tasty? – I ask. – Fine. Here are only legs and wings in the teeth stuck,