Monday, June 1, 2009

Bug Sushi


Only in Japan..

Warning: this post is not for squeamish. 

Source: Japan Times
'Tanoshii Konchu Ryori' is a bug cuisine cookbook published by Shoichi Uchiyama, a Japan's leading insect eating evangelist. But be prepared before opening the 256-page book, some of the 64 color photos of bug recipes may leave you feeling a little queasy.
The meals in the pictures range from huge cockroaches soaked in pink vinegar soup, half-raw fat hornet larvae, huge moth pupae simmered with sugar, and a pizza covered with giant water bugs, spiders, caterpillars and adult hornets. 

Uchiyama, who lives in Tokyo and holds a food sanitation license, has his own reason to justify his bug eating crusade. Academic studies have shown insect are rich in nutrition and many are even more nutritionally balance than meat of fish, Uchiyama pointed out. In addition, they grow much faster and require less feed than animals and fish, ane leftover vegetables are enough to farm many kinds of bugs. They grow in small spaces and don't compete with human beings over food, Uchiyama said, "I think a food shortage will emerge as a global problem in the near future. Insects will play a big role in solving the problem."

Uchiyama's argument may sound bizzare, but U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is in complete agreement.

You can visit Uchiyama's famous blog on musikui.exblog.jp


Insect sushi
(Photo courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk)


Spider sushi
(Photo courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk)


Larvae sushi
(Photo courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk)


(Photo courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk)

I am not a squeamish person but I would think twice to try those little creepy crawly cuisine, how about you? 

15 comments:

onsen soaker said...

Hi Rashai!

I've never heard of this guy and never seen his blog. Thanks for the info. (You are more Japanese than I in many parts, aren't you?)

My father used to eat locusts and honey bee larvae. I've never tried them, but those who tried surely say "Soooo yammy!".

Rashai said...

Hi Onsen soaker,

Ha..ha.. I often got the same question from my friends, " Are you sure you are not Japanese?"

I've never tried that bug cuisine either, found some fried insects in Bangkok before and didn't have the guts to try, but if I find those sushi I might try them.

Calvin Soo KJ said...

oh boy....it has been weeks since i last visited you. glad to note that you're still very much in love with japanese stuff. :) cheers and god bless

Rashai said...

Hi Bro..
It's been a while too since I visited your old photo blog and just noticed you've got the new one in wordpress.

Me?..Japanese stuff..? You know I will not leave this passion for anything :)

JBU too..

Jeanne M. Wigoena said...

eww..the only bug I ever tried to eat is scorpion (kalajengking?), when I went to Beijing. They're also famous for the bugs satay..
Well, it's nice tho, crispy, haha..
but I don't think I'll try these bug sushi..too creepy..hehe..

Satoko said...

hi, Rashai! thanks for the unique info. I agree there are many "Chinmi(rare taste)" in the world.

I have to think about it when in food crisis, but eating insect is my last choice! "die or eat?!" cuz what most hate in the world is cockroach!!! oh my god! OX

Anonymous said...

Oh wowww.

Rashai said...

Hi Satoko,
Same with me, I would try anything else but cockroach..

Hi Sayuri,
It wowed me too.. :)

Hi Jeanne,
Glad to have your comments back :)
Crispy scorpion? ..mm I should try that one then.

Yuliana-Fun said...

gw tidak pernah menikmati yang namanya sushi loh..entah kenapa.. bagi gw, makanannya aneh.. hehehe maap yak.. :) apalage ditambah serangga gitu...matilaaah... lebih eneg lage hahaha :)

Rashai said...

Fun, ha..ha.. selera orang emang beda2 kok, kalo sushi pake serangga gua juga belum tentu bisa nelan he..he. tapi kalo sushi biasa sih favorite tuh, bagi gua rasanya seger, ringan, ga bikin enek dan sehat :)

草(sou) said...

hi,Rashai!
I saw it for the first time!
However, in old times, local people who had Japan had eaten grig and bee's children.
..I have eaten the grig:D

Jeanne M. Wigoena said...

@ Fun: aku setuju ama Rashai, sushi enak loh Fun.. yg paling common & gampang disukai sih salmon (as it is my favourite too), coba itu aja dulu Fun..
eh, jadi ngebales dsini ya To, hehehe

beckyferris said...

eeek! sounds a little too crunchy for my taste.

Rashai said...

Sou,
I prefer the honey than eating the bees :)

Beckyferries,
oops.. hope I didn't make you loose appetite.. :)

Rashai said...

@Jeanne: Akur... :) favoritku Otoro sushi (Tuna, top grade), tapi emang jarang yg jual soalnya jarang ada, Chutoro (Tuna jg tapi medium grade)juga boleh lah..:) Iya heran kenapa Fun ga suka ya? hi..hi..