Some foods are so different that they make people talk about them for years. You might find a dish that looks like something from a movie. These cultural meals are often a surprise to anyone who did not grow up there. The textures can be very soft or very crunchy in a weird way. It makes traveling feel like a real discovery.
Balut In The Philippines
This famous snack looks like a normal egg until you peel it. Inside is a tiny duck that started growing before being cooked. You crack the top and add salt to eat it. It is a very common treat for people there.
Fermented Shark In Iceland
This old dish from Iceland is made of shark meat that sits for months. People eat it mostly when the weather gets cold outside. It smells like a harsh chemical cleaners and that might scare you. You only need a small bite to try it.
Century Eggs In China
These eggs are preserved for several weeks or months in a mixture of clay and ash which changes their internal color drastically. The yolk turns a dark green or grey color with a creamy texture while the white part becomes a dark brown translucent jelly with a salty flavor.
Escamoles In Mexico
In Mexico people enjoy eating ant eggs called Escamoles as a treat. These small white bits are harvested from the ground near big plants. Chefs fry them up with butter to make them taste rich. They are served in tortillas and taste much better than expected.
Surströmming In Sweden
This dish from Sweden is known worldwide for having a scent that is hard to forget. The smell is so thick that opening the tin outside is the only way to go. Otherwise the powerful aroma will just hang around your home forever.
Rocky Mountain Oysters In The USA
Despite the name these are not oysters. They are bull testicles from the mountains. Chefs peel them and cover them in flour. They fry them in hot oil until they are golden. It is a very crispy snack that people find quite shocking.
Sannakji Live Octopus In South Korea
Many visitors are shocked by this Korean dish because the raw octopus pieces are still squirming. It is served right after being chopped up by the chef. You have to be careful and chew a lot so the suction cups do not cause trouble.
Tuna Eyeballs In Japan
In Japanese markets you might occasionally see large tuna eyeballs being sold which can be quite a surprising sight for regular tourists. They are usually cooked by boiling down and seasoned simply with soy sauce or garlic before being eaten.
Fried Spiders In Cambodia
Some towns in Cambodia sell big fried spiders as a popular local snack for people to eat. Travelers often feel very surprised because these bugs are quite large and look scary. The cooks use garlic and sugar to make them taste much better.
Haggis In Scotland
In Scotland they make a savory pudding using sheep heart and liver. This mixture includes oatmeal and onions to give it body. It traditionally cooks inside a stomach lining which creates a firm shape. New visitors often find the look and feel quite strange.
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