Would you try this coconut worm salad?
A dish considered a delicacy in Southeast Asia is made with cooked or raw coconut worms.
We think of food in different ways. While some of us are super explorative about the food we try, others are super coy and prefer not to delve into the unknown.
As South Africans, we are fairly explorative with our food. From offal such as tripe to mopane worms and chicken feet, we are a country that pushes the boundaries of the unknown.
And yet, we even frown upon some of the most delectable and protein-rich diets, such as eating insects.
There's a fine line between still-living food' and raw to cooked items. Think about the reality show Fear Factor, where contestants were tested on their ability to consume less-than-appealing food, but some did so without as much as a gag reflex.
A content creator focusing much of her content on food and exploring some of her heritage delicacies has caused a stir with her love of 'coconut worms'.
She shares 'mukbang-style' videos of the many foods she eats, both raw and cooked. The video that got our attention shows her eating a coconut worm salad containing fresh salad ingredients, soy sauce, and wriggling coconut worms.
Watch the video below from Instagram.
Read more: Woman makes flavoured pap using Oros juice
"Coconut worms in Ben Tre, Vietnam, in the past were one of the rustic dishes rich in nutrients. One can find these coconut weevils in coconut trees.
During the breeding season, weevils often choose healthy coconut trees to cut out the tops to produce eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae, then develop and eat coconut tubers to survive. Today, coconut worms have become one of the most precious dishes of culinary connoisseurs," reports Vemekong.
While this may seem awful for some people, it is enjoyed by many locals who prepare coconut worms in various ways. Check out the video below that shows them frying the coconut worms, courtesy of Instagram.
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Image Courtesy of Instagram