Stinger or slimer, take your pick
Published:Thursday | May 27, 2010 | 12:00 AM
This week, we've got a stinger and a 'slimer' in weird foods.
First up is the scorpion (talk about a bite in your diet). In some countries, like China, scorpions are an acceptable meal. They are reared in 'ranches', mostly in people's homes, then sold in the markets. It is said they have a woody taste and should be eaten whole, except for the tip of the tail. They should be fried in oil as the intense heat destroys their venom. But to eat them live requires a bit more preparation.
You'll need a bowl of water, rice wine and chopsticks.
Method
1. Deposit the scorpions into the water.
2. After the scorpions have finished their bath remove and drop them into a vat of rice wine.
3. Wait approximately 30 seconds, as the rice wine makes the scorpions semi-comatose.
4. Retrieve the scorpions, and remove both the stinger and poison sac on the tail.
5. Eat the scorpions before they come to.
Scorpion soup
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
30 to 40 live scorpions, washed
125g fresh pork
1 large garlic bulb, crushed
fresh ginger root, about three cm, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 litre water
1 handful dried Chinese dates
1 handful dried red berries
1 large carrot, sliced
Method
1. Heat oil in a large wok.
2. Stir-fry the scorpions for 20 seconds.
3. Add the pork, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Stir-fry briefly, then add the water slowly.
5. Add the other ingredients and simmer on a low heat for 40 minutes.
Note: This soup can be eaten either as a starter or as a main course and the main taste is that of the pork and dates. It is best accompanied by Chinese beer.
Conch
Because conch is such a tasty and popular dish here in Jamrock, it might seem weird to have it in this section. But if you know what conchs look like (while alive) and remember they are snails (very large snails), then you'll see why they make the list.
Curried Conch:
Ingredients for sauce:
butter
curry powder
garlic, finely chopped
onion, finely chopped
double cream
salt/pepper
Method
1. Heat butter and curry powder in pan for two minutes. Add other ingredients until well combined.
Other ingredients:
pounded conch, cut
julienne style
onion
garlic
potatoes
carrots
Red/green peppers
Method
1. Sauté conch with garlic and onions.
2. Add curry sauce and pre-cooked potatoes and carrots.
3. Serve garnished with a basil leaf.
Conch Fritters
Ingredients
1 lb conch meat
1/2 large onion
2 stalks celery
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
salt to taste
1 egg
1/3 cup self-rising
cornmeal
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
Directions
1. Put conch through food grinder or food processor.
2. Process with onion, celery, red and green pepper and mix with conch, adding salt and egg. Mix well.
3. In separate bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, and baking powder.
4. Add conch mixture (mixture should be thick).
5. Add buttermilk and hot sauce.
6. Drop heaped tablespoon of mixture into hot oil and fry until light brown.
7. Drain.
8. Serve with mayonnaise and lime juice.
Sources: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk, www.ehow.com, www.islands.com and www.roatanonline.com.