Author Archives: hp13

  As I promised last time, I tried out something that is everyday but fun at the same time. That is, I decided to prepare myself a dish made out of real insects. If my last blog was simply about tossing crickets into my mouth, (those I purchased from a vending machine with 1 dollar), this time it is more serious. In this blog, I will guide you through a new world of homemade insect dishes with a legitimate food recipe. 🙂

  I hope you remember my last blog. In my previous blog I talked about how important it was for the global community to find a new source of food that can meet the growing calorie demand of the world. And my answer was “Bugs might be the bites!” Bugs are a wonderful source of healthy proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Silk Worm Pupae alone contain 9.6 grams of protein, 5.6 grams of fat, 2.3 grams of carbohydrate, 41.7 milligrams of calcium and 1.8 milligrams of iron. This is shockingly nutritious. The same amount of beef contains only 27.4 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of iron (Berendaum). You see what I am talking about?  

  Perhaps the only barrier that prevents many of us from enjoying insect meals is psychological, not physiological. Insects aren’t necessarily gross if we open our minds! Believe it or not, even lobster was considered as cockroaches of the sea and for a long time it was food for prisoners. Perceptions can change when food taste delicious. They can be gourmet cuisines!!!

  To change these perceptions I went out shopping to purchase ingredients for my home-made traditional Korean insect dish. The insect I used for my dish is called Bundaegi.

  Bundaegi are the pupae of the domesticated silk moth, Bombyx mori. Bombyx mori originally existed in the wild throughout Asia. However as the silk industry thrived in this region; there are only domesticated ones around us. The larvae of Bombyx mori are caterpillars that are normally 4 cm long with their horned cerci. A normal adult of Bombyx mori has a pair of 4 cm wings (Katie Clay). And we normally eat them when they are in their pupae stage.

 Bombyx mori more commonly known as silkworm has been treasured by many Asian cultures as a nutritional supplement and traditional treatment for diabetes. According to the Science Daily, Bombyx mori indeed are rich with healthful Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Studies confirm that Conjugated Linoleic Acid has beneficial effects, including stimulation of the immune system, protection against cancer and heart disease, reducing body fat and controlling diabetes (Science Daily). Doesn’t this sound too good to be true? J

  Traditionally, Bombyx mori have been a crucial component of textile industries. Believe it or not, these Bombyx mori were considered so valuable, there were cases where people got punished with death penalty for smuggling them. Also, because Bombyx mori have been cultivated for so long for sericulture, they cannot survive on their own but instead they always must be fed by humans (Lepidopetra Part 2).

             Now back to business.

 Once I purchased a can of pupae of Bundaegi, I searched the internet for the best recipe, which I can ACTUALLY try. Quite honestly cooking wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. After some hodgepodge of chopping, slicing and boiling, I discovered that I would need onions, soy sauce, bell pepper, chili along with other numerous marinating techniques to make the perfect dish.

In sum? My first insect dish was a total failure. 🙁

You may have heard that, in a not too distant future, there will be a point where meat becomes so scarce that you and I may have to find alternative source of animal protein, say, from BUGS. Yes, I totally understand that you would rather become a vegetarian than see bugs on your dish.

(Photo Credit From mad4scinence.com)

But believe it or not, it turns out that we CAN and indeed we have EATEN them for many years!

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, insects form part of diets of at least 2 billion people around the world. Surprisingly, there are more than ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED species people eat as delicious cuisine (Yen at Al). Although insect-eating is not widespread in the western world, such as in Europe, North America and Australia, insects (including other species of invertebrates) are regularly eaten today in Africa, Asia, Central America and South America. Moreover, eating insects can be very environment-friendly and a potential solution to the global food shortages. Add to that, farming insects produces less greenhouse gases, and therefore, is a more efficient way to produce sustainable protein. (http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3253e/i3253e00.htm)

Still for some people, the idea of tossing these creeping, crawling creatures into your mouth may sound too daring, even though insects can be quite tasty and nutritious. So I have decided to embark on a journey of eating insects, simply to convince you that eating them is a fun and practical experience. So let me draw your attention to one of very common bugs you see around. Crickets!

Crickets belong to the family of Gyllidae under Orthoptera order. Four crickets contain as much as calcium as a cup of milk. If you eat 100 grams of crickets, you are consuming 121 calories (ONLY 49.5 calories from FAT) and as much as 13 grams of protein and 76 milligrams of iron. (http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutritional-value-of-insects) (http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutritional-value-of-insects)

Conveniently, I was able to find processed crickets in a vending machine at the Natural Science Museum in Houston during my class trip.

As I rushed back home to savor the taste and flavor of the bug, I carefully poured my cheese-seasoned crickets on my dinner table. With a single deep, solemn breath I put one of these tiny creatures into my mouth.

At first, the smell of cheese-and-bacon seasoning was a bit strong, which made it difficult for me to focus more on the taste of bug, but as I kept chewing it, a nutty flavor along with crunchiness that resembled the sensation of chewing dried shrimps started to fill my mouth. Although I could definitely feel one of the cricket’s legs and a part of his wing stuck in my teeth, eating crickets overall was a very pleasing experience.

(Photos taken by Hansol Park)

Knowing that commercialized foods can sometimes deter us from appreciating the true taste of the nutrients, I have decided to prepare a real dish made out of bugs for my upcoming blog posting. There will be lots of chopping, steaming, and seasoning involved. Please look forward to my next posting!

🙂

Further Citation;

Yen, Alan. At all. ‘The Role of Edible Insects in Human Recreation and Tourism.” Ed. Raynald Harvey Emilin. Cambridge University Press. 2013. Online Fondren Library.

Deutsch, Jonathan. ‘They eat That?: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Weird and Exotic Food from Aroud the World.’  Google Ebook 2012. Online Fondren Library.