Anyways, since my eyes are wide opened and there’s no sign
of sleepiness at all (and due to my current hunger as well), I was looking over
the internet trying to find anything good to eat; no... not for now, but at least I
can put it up on the culinary hunting list.
Opening the mighty google I was hoping to find something
delicious; but rather than that, I found something…
well, yeah, it’s interesting, to the point it gets weird. It’s about this
extreme culinary. You may have heard Lawar Bali, mashed seasoned pork with
fresh pig’s blood; or Ulat Sagu, fresh larvas served as snacks in eastern
Indonesia (o my, even just mentioning gives me goose bumps). But I’m not going
to talk about locals here, I found this: 5 Crazy, Weird, Bizzare Korean Foods for the Brave.
This is it:
1. Beongdegi (번데기)
This is by far one of the most
visually weirdest foods Korea has to offer. Mostly found in markets or vendors
at parks, the culture around eating this odd Korean food can be likened to
eating hot dogs in a park. You grab a cup of steamed silkworm larvae (complete
with the juices that come out during the steaming process) and walk around the
park enjoying the view, eating your silk worms with a toothpick! The taste is
nothing special, nor is it particularly revolting. But the actual feel of a
silkworm larvae in your mouth, complete with the explosion that comes with the
first bite, is what makes this Korean food so hard to swallow!
What I think: So, not only Papuans and Moluccans do this. I don’t get it where
people get the idea of consuming larvaes like these, leaves are much more “tolerable”.
2. Jokbal (족발)
Mmmm… Looks like another Korean Barbeque! But hold on there
cowboy. Jokbal is another type of Korean meat, just not what you expect. Jokbal
is quite literally pig feet. Just like the other Korean meats, jokbal is often
a food that accompanies alcohol, often late at night. It’s eaten like the other
Korean meat offerings, wrapped in sangchu, with a bit of ssamjang and garlic.
This dish is actually quite tasty and is wildly popular with the general Korean
public. But if you’ve ever walked into a restaurant and seen a pig foot lying
on the chopping board, you’re going to need some grits to get you to put it in
your mouth.
Tip: If you’re living in Korea, these are delivered
nation-wide, usually 24 hours a day.
What I think: Not that extreme, but quite special, I guess. Indonesia have
things like this, too; remember Rujak Cingur? It’s rujak (varieties of fruits
and veggies with traditional sauce) with cingur (Javanese term for nose-to-mouth
part of cow), google it for the details.
3. Chicken Feet – Dalkbal (닭발)
Korea does chicken really well, but this chicken dish probably won’t be seen on
the cooking network in the near future. Why is Dalkbal Korean food for the
brave? First off, you are putting a whole chicken foot in your mouth. And when
you put a chicken foot in your mouth, that’s exactly how it feels like… a
chicken foot in your mouth (gross!). Once it’s in there, scrape off the little
bit of meat that is on the bone with your teeth. And even if you can handle the
talon scraping, there’s another reason you should be afraid. Dalkbal is known
to be one of the spiciest dishes in Korea. Maybe its to make up for the lack of
actual meat being eaten, or maybe it’s to help numb your mouth to make eating
this easier. Either way, the combination of a chicken foot in your mouth and
mind numbing spiciness requires a certain level of bravery for Korean food
connoisseurs.
What I think: Out of the 5, this is the one I want to try the most. I love
chicken feet soup as much as spicy foods. Looking through the explanation, it’s
perfect combination!
4. Live Octopus – Sannakji (산낙지)
Raw octopus is a Korean delicacy
that many people try. It’s when the octopus or squid is alive that the real
adventure seekers come out. One variation is to get a live octopus or squid and
slice it up. Although it’s technically dead, try telling that to the detached, yet still squirming, tentacles attempting to escape your plate. Once you put it
in your mouth, feel the suction cups grasping onto your teeth and tongue. It’s
almost like eating a real live octopus! Think that’s crazy? Try eating an
actual live octopus. The other variation is to get a baby octopus, no slicing,
no killing, alive in all its squirmy ways, and just shove it in your mouth.
It’s that simple. Eating a live octopus in Korea is probably the pinnacle of Korean food
for the brave.
What I think: One thing: INSANE. It’s beyond crazy, it’s totally insane. I’ve
seen it once through Thai movie Hello Strangers with most of the plot was
exploring Korea. Just imagining the squirming tentacles being served on a plate, ew... Gross! Set aside me eating it by my own, I don’t think I could even
stand seeing any other person put that thing in his mouth.
5. Fermented Stingray – Hongeo (홍어)
Another seafood extreme that challenges eaters to
go over the edge. Even if you consider yourself a sushi veteran, able to take
mouthfuls of raw fish with no hesitation, this is no ordinary sushi dish. If
you ever come across this, you would know instantly. The extremely pungent
odor, which many liken to the stink of ammonia, makes this one of Korea’s true
delicacies. Even coming across this dish at restaurants can be difficult; it’s
probably not high on too many favorite foods lists. In actuality, for the
Koreans that have had the courage to try this dish, many vow never to eat it
again. The smell is that strong! Hold your nose, shove it in mouth, and pray that
you don’t have a gag reflex…. if you’re brave enough to try this Korean
delicacy that is!
What I think: I’m into sushi, but I don’t know for this one. I don’t find
any local things to compare with it. So, no comment. Worth to try, I guess.
I may be a huge fan of Korean TV shows, but when it comes to
culinary, I’m very inexperience. Korean culinary I’ve tasted so far were bibimbap
and jajangmyeon; and instant ramyeon and packaged ice cakes. That’s all. And
they were of great tastes. But for those, I don’t know. Some are worth trying,
but others are big no, mainly the live octopus, yuck.
Anyways I’m going, guys! It’s 2am already and I’m starting
to feel sleepy (and thanks to the “delicacies”, not hungry anymore). So, good night ^^
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