http://www.soshiok.com/articles/13118
Unusual gastronomical experiences
Tue Jun 16 2009
Hedy Khoo & Naveen K Anagalingam
The New Paper
Think ants, scorpions and goat brains. Shocking or shiok?
Singapore, June 14, 2009 -Have a cast-iron stomach?
Or a taste for unusual gastronomical experiences?
Forget turtle soup, frog legs and chicken feet - those dishes are tame by comparison. Instead, think ants, scorpions and goat brains.
Shocking or shiok?
PIG BRAIN SOUP (top)
The Chinese believe that eating various parts of an animal can nourish and strengthen the corresponding parts of the human body.
This is why Ms Ong Bee Yong, 45, who runs Day & Night Herbal Soup (Unit 12) at the Maxwell Road Food Centre, thinks that while the dish is not wildly popular, she has regular customers - mostly old folks - asking for pig brain soup.
But the cook herself shies away from it.
'I had to eat it in the beginning when I was learning how to cook it, but now I would prefer not to eat it,' she said with a shudder and laugh.
'It's not something everybody wants to eat, only for those who know how to appreciate it.'
Eeww factor: 4/5
It was disconcerting to see large pieces of the pig brains floating in a bowl of soup.
After a brief struggle convincing ourselves to take the first bite, we took the plunge and were hit by an incredibly strong taste - imagine the taste of raw eggs and multiply it by 10.
We were put off mostly by the mushy texture, and that once we bit into a piece of brain, it disintegrated easily and we could taste it all around the insides of our mouth.
Please brush your teeth thoroughly afterwards.
ANTS (above)
If you think these are ants that you attract with the crumbs you leave on the kitchen counter, think again.
These little guys are cultivated in China. Served deep fried, they are believed to be a tonic that helps nourish the spleen and kidneys as well as improve blood circulation.
Mr Wang Jinhui, general manager of the Imperial Herbal Restaurant, said locals tend to shy away from the dish. Those who dare to try it are mostly foreign tourists who do so out of curiosity.
The restaurant has been serving ants, scorpions and deer penis wine since it opened at the Metropole Hotel in 1988. The restaurant is now located at VivoCity (#03-08).
Eeww factor: 3/5
The ants had no distinctive flavour but were definitely crunchy.
It could be psychological, but you know you are feasting on insects if you can feel their little legs pricking your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
Have toothpicks or dental floss ready for the little ant legs stuck in between your teeth.
SCORPIONS (above)
Known to be poisonous, these inch-long little critters are safe to eat as their poisonous stings are removed before cooking.
Scorpions are believed to have detoxifying effects and are rich in protein. Pregnant women, however, should stay away from them.
Like the ants, this dish is mainly ordered by foreigners.
Eeww factor: 2/5
With their beady eyes, the fried scorpions looked more intimidating than the ants. But once we got past that, they tasted surprisingly scrumptious.
The texture of the scorpion's body was similar to that of deep-fried softshell crabs.
But the tail left a bitter after-taste and was a lot harder.
DEER PENIS WINE (above)
While locals steer clear of creepy crawlies, it's a different story when it comes to this tonic wine.
On average, the Imperial Herbal Restaurant gets orders of 10 to 20 glasses of wine daily. The deer penis is also available in the form of a herbal soup.
Most of the customers are local Chinese men, MrWang said.
'They believe it to be a tonic that can give them stamina in the bedroom.'
Eeww factor: 3/5
It was a little disturbing to see pieces of a deer's 'manhood' floating inside a bottle of tonic wine.
Thankfully the wine tasted better than it looked. Ithad a slightly vinegary and medicinal taste to it and was rather strong.
The wine also left a rather pleasant buzz in the head minutes after consumption.
GOAT BRAIN SOUP (above)
Mr Hajamaideen Abdul Razack is the owner of Haji M Abdul Razack Stall (#01-03) at the Upper Boon Keng food centre. His stall serves mutton soup with a wide selection of different parts - the brains and tongues are among the more popular parts customers ask for.
He personally does not believe that eating certain parts of an animal would strengthen the corresponding body part of the person eating it, thoughsome of his customers do.
Eeww factor: 2/5
The goat brain soup tasted like regular mutton soup, though the texture of the brains resembled that of hard-boiled eggs - firm and not as mushy as the pig brains.
The goat brains tasted stronger than regular mutton, but compared to pig brain, this dish wasn't as unpalatable.
FRIED GOAT BRAINS (above)
Mr Abdul Abuzeragam, 31, who owns Azmi Restaurant (Norris Road Chapati) at 168 Serangoon Road, said that this dish (fried with eggs) is popular in North India.
In Singapore, most of the customers who order the dish are Indian workers, who eat it with chapati.
Mr Abuzeragam said it is believed that eating goat brains can help brain development.
Each goat brain is the size of a fist and the stall cooks about 25 brains daily. But on some days, the dish is not available when there's a problem with the supply.
Eeww factor : 1/5
Delicious. The brains had a texture similar to scrambled eggs, but tasted like ikan bilis.
The only yucky factor was knowing we were eating the brains of a goat. But the dish didn't resemble its raw form and went nicely with the chapati.
GOAT INTESTINES (above)
Mr Abuzeragam said customers who order the dish like the unusual texture of the intestines, which are cooked until tender.
Eeww factor: 3/5
Other than the strong mutton smell, the goat intestines cooked in masala were tasty.
But we were put off by the texture - the little bumps on the intestines were disturbingly similar to those you have running along your tongue. It was a challenge to chew through the rubbery texture.
NAM PRIK MANG DA (Chilli paste with giant water bug)
The innocuous-looking dish seems like any normal chilli paste until one finds out what the main ingredient is - mang dah (Thai for giant water bug).
Green chilli and the bugs are roasted before being pounded into a chilli paste with a smoky flavour.
Mr Johnny Lim, owner of Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant (Golden Mile Complex #01-70/71), said the dish is ordered only by Thai customers, who eat it with glutinous rice.
Eeww factor: 5/5
This dish has a truly pungent odour.
The extremely spicy chilli did little to mask the strange taste of the water bug.
It definitely did not help that we came across identifiable bits of the legs and wings of the bug, which resembles a flattened cockroach.
GOAT TONGUE SOUP
Mr Hajamaideen Abdul Razack, owner of Haji M Abdul Razack Stall, said: 'Those who have tried it usually like it even better than mutton.
'They appreciate it for its unusual texture, which is still quitetender.'
Eeww factor: 2/5
The tongue soup smelled and tasted exactly like mutton soup but the smell was a bit stronger than what we were used too.
The tongue meat was chewy but tasty. It also helped that it was served in slices in the soup, so that we didn't get a goat's tongue staring at us.
SOM TAM PU (Green papaya salad with fermented black crabs)
This is a popular dish among Thais in Singapore, says at Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant owner Johnny Lim, though he has the occasional Caucasian tourist asking for it too.
Singaporean diners, on the other hand, often ask for the fermented crab to be left out of the dish said Mr Lim.
Mr Lim admitted that despite having run the restaurant for 30 years, he personally does not like eating fermented crabs. They are a delicacy appreciated mostly by the Thais appreciate, he added.
The dish is so popular that the restaurant sells 1.5kg of fermented crabs daily.
Eeww factor: 1/5
Broken up into pieces and mixed into green papaya salad, the fermented crabs are meant to be sucked on for flavour.
It had a strong fishy smell and tasted quite salty, but went well with the vegetable mix and the tangy lime-based dressing.
Unusual gastronomical experiences
Tue Jun 16 2009
Hedy Khoo & Naveen K Anagalingam
The New Paper
Think ants, scorpions and goat brains. Shocking or shiok?
Singapore, June 14, 2009 -Have a cast-iron stomach?
Or a taste for unusual gastronomical experiences?
Forget turtle soup, frog legs and chicken feet - those dishes are tame by comparison. Instead, think ants, scorpions and goat brains.
Shocking or shiok?
PIG BRAIN SOUP (top)
The Chinese believe that eating various parts of an animal can nourish and strengthen the corresponding parts of the human body.
This is why Ms Ong Bee Yong, 45, who runs Day & Night Herbal Soup (Unit 12) at the Maxwell Road Food Centre, thinks that while the dish is not wildly popular, she has regular customers - mostly old folks - asking for pig brain soup.
But the cook herself shies away from it.
'I had to eat it in the beginning when I was learning how to cook it, but now I would prefer not to eat it,' she said with a shudder and laugh.
'It's not something everybody wants to eat, only for those who know how to appreciate it.'
Eeww factor: 4/5
It was disconcerting to see large pieces of the pig brains floating in a bowl of soup.
After a brief struggle convincing ourselves to take the first bite, we took the plunge and were hit by an incredibly strong taste - imagine the taste of raw eggs and multiply it by 10.
We were put off mostly by the mushy texture, and that once we bit into a piece of brain, it disintegrated easily and we could taste it all around the insides of our mouth.
Please brush your teeth thoroughly afterwards.
ANTS (above)
If you think these are ants that you attract with the crumbs you leave on the kitchen counter, think again.
These little guys are cultivated in China. Served deep fried, they are believed to be a tonic that helps nourish the spleen and kidneys as well as improve blood circulation.
Mr Wang Jinhui, general manager of the Imperial Herbal Restaurant, said locals tend to shy away from the dish. Those who dare to try it are mostly foreign tourists who do so out of curiosity.
The restaurant has been serving ants, scorpions and deer penis wine since it opened at the Metropole Hotel in 1988. The restaurant is now located at VivoCity (#03-08).
Eeww factor: 3/5
The ants had no distinctive flavour but were definitely crunchy.
It could be psychological, but you know you are feasting on insects if you can feel their little legs pricking your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
Have toothpicks or dental floss ready for the little ant legs stuck in between your teeth.
SCORPIONS (above)
Known to be poisonous, these inch-long little critters are safe to eat as their poisonous stings are removed before cooking.
Scorpions are believed to have detoxifying effects and are rich in protein. Pregnant women, however, should stay away from them.
Like the ants, this dish is mainly ordered by foreigners.
Eeww factor: 2/5
With their beady eyes, the fried scorpions looked more intimidating than the ants. But once we got past that, they tasted surprisingly scrumptious.
The texture of the scorpion's body was similar to that of deep-fried softshell crabs.
But the tail left a bitter after-taste and was a lot harder.
DEER PENIS WINE (above)
While locals steer clear of creepy crawlies, it's a different story when it comes to this tonic wine.
On average, the Imperial Herbal Restaurant gets orders of 10 to 20 glasses of wine daily. The deer penis is also available in the form of a herbal soup.
Most of the customers are local Chinese men, MrWang said.
'They believe it to be a tonic that can give them stamina in the bedroom.'
Eeww factor: 3/5
It was a little disturbing to see pieces of a deer's 'manhood' floating inside a bottle of tonic wine.
Thankfully the wine tasted better than it looked. Ithad a slightly vinegary and medicinal taste to it and was rather strong.
The wine also left a rather pleasant buzz in the head minutes after consumption.
GOAT BRAIN SOUP (above)
Mr Hajamaideen Abdul Razack is the owner of Haji M Abdul Razack Stall (#01-03) at the Upper Boon Keng food centre. His stall serves mutton soup with a wide selection of different parts - the brains and tongues are among the more popular parts customers ask for.
He personally does not believe that eating certain parts of an animal would strengthen the corresponding body part of the person eating it, thoughsome of his customers do.
Eeww factor: 2/5
The goat brain soup tasted like regular mutton soup, though the texture of the brains resembled that of hard-boiled eggs - firm and not as mushy as the pig brains.
The goat brains tasted stronger than regular mutton, but compared to pig brain, this dish wasn't as unpalatable.
FRIED GOAT BRAINS (above)
Mr Abdul Abuzeragam, 31, who owns Azmi Restaurant (Norris Road Chapati) at 168 Serangoon Road, said that this dish (fried with eggs) is popular in North India.
In Singapore, most of the customers who order the dish are Indian workers, who eat it with chapati.
Mr Abuzeragam said it is believed that eating goat brains can help brain development.
Each goat brain is the size of a fist and the stall cooks about 25 brains daily. But on some days, the dish is not available when there's a problem with the supply.
Eeww factor : 1/5
Delicious. The brains had a texture similar to scrambled eggs, but tasted like ikan bilis.
The only yucky factor was knowing we were eating the brains of a goat. But the dish didn't resemble its raw form and went nicely with the chapati.
GOAT INTESTINES (above)
Mr Abuzeragam said customers who order the dish like the unusual texture of the intestines, which are cooked until tender.
Eeww factor: 3/5
Other than the strong mutton smell, the goat intestines cooked in masala were tasty.
But we were put off by the texture - the little bumps on the intestines were disturbingly similar to those you have running along your tongue. It was a challenge to chew through the rubbery texture.
NAM PRIK MANG DA (Chilli paste with giant water bug)
The innocuous-looking dish seems like any normal chilli paste until one finds out what the main ingredient is - mang dah (Thai for giant water bug).
Green chilli and the bugs are roasted before being pounded into a chilli paste with a smoky flavour.
Mr Johnny Lim, owner of Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant (Golden Mile Complex #01-70/71), said the dish is ordered only by Thai customers, who eat it with glutinous rice.
Eeww factor: 5/5
This dish has a truly pungent odour.
The extremely spicy chilli did little to mask the strange taste of the water bug.
It definitely did not help that we came across identifiable bits of the legs and wings of the bug, which resembles a flattened cockroach.
GOAT TONGUE SOUP
Mr Hajamaideen Abdul Razack, owner of Haji M Abdul Razack Stall, said: 'Those who have tried it usually like it even better than mutton.
'They appreciate it for its unusual texture, which is still quitetender.'
Eeww factor: 2/5
The tongue soup smelled and tasted exactly like mutton soup but the smell was a bit stronger than what we were used too.
The tongue meat was chewy but tasty. It also helped that it was served in slices in the soup, so that we didn't get a goat's tongue staring at us.
SOM TAM PU (Green papaya salad with fermented black crabs)
This is a popular dish among Thais in Singapore, says at Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant owner Johnny Lim, though he has the occasional Caucasian tourist asking for it too.
Singaporean diners, on the other hand, often ask for the fermented crab to be left out of the dish said Mr Lim.
Mr Lim admitted that despite having run the restaurant for 30 years, he personally does not like eating fermented crabs. They are a delicacy appreciated mostly by the Thais appreciate, he added.
The dish is so popular that the restaurant sells 1.5kg of fermented crabs daily.
Eeww factor: 1/5
Broken up into pieces and mixed into green papaya salad, the fermented crabs are meant to be sucked on for flavour.
It had a strong fishy smell and tasted quite salty, but went well with the vegetable mix and the tangy lime-based dressing.
