Nothing beats trying to find a new unusual dish abroad and try original food that you never knew about before. Tourists always try to order national food, visiting other countries. But sometimes trying to try a new product requires iron nerves and a strong stomach.
The most unusual dishes in the world made from parts or products of animal origin that are not commonly used in their home country may seem unappetizing or even completely disgusting. But at the same time, many will not want to leave the visited place without trying the local exotic. Below is the top of the most unusual dishes in the world that tourists encounter most often.
Haggis
The Scots, who dare to wear kilts today, are brave enough to enjoy one of the most famous traditional Scottish products - the haggis. To prepare this dish, first chop the liver, heart and lungs of the sheep and mix them with diced onions, spices and oatmeal. Then the mixture is folded into the sheep’s stomach, tightly fixed at the ends and boiled for several hours.
If a stuffed sheep’s stomach seems too odd or paradoxical for you, local grocery stores sell cheaper types of haggis with artificial shells. But if you want to try one of the most unusual dishes in the world in the original, you will not have problems with its acquisition. In Scotland, it is available everywhere in restaurants and in small bars. Haggis is traditionally served with Scotch whiskey during the annual Burns party, a national holiday dedicated to the poetics of Robert Burns.
Seltz
Despite the fact that brawn is widely distributed in the post-Soviet territory, as well as in some European regions, in most countries it is considered one of the most unusual dishes in the world. Photos of this snack can be found in foreign sources under the name "cheese from the heads of animals." Traditionally, brawn is made by boiling the head of a ram, pig or cow with other organs until the meat is soft. Then the mass is cooled. Thanks to the collagen contained in the bone marrow of the animal’s head, the whole mixture freezes like in gelatin. The finished brawn can be cut and served in a salad or sandwich.
Frog sashimi
So, are you sure you can try the most unusual traditional dishes of the world? Can you swallow the living and moving parts of the animal? In Tokyo, there is the famous Asadachi eatery, all of whose dishes are designed to develop masculinity. If you order sashimi from a frog, the chef will cut it in front of you and give you a still beating heart between chopsticks. After that, the employee of the institution will cut the frog into a plate in the form of sashimi while you eat the heart.
Sashimi is chilled raw seafood cut into pieces. That is why the rest of your meal will consist of cold raw meat. But don't expect raw beating frog hearts to be heard everywhere in Japan. This dish is a delicacy that can only be found in some Japanese restaurants. Therefore, it may well be called the most unusual national dish in the world.
Blood Pudding
Vampires are not the only ones enjoying the taste of blood for breakfast. In Europe, Asia and other regions there are dishes made from the blood of animals, and they are ordinary everyday cuisine. Blood pudding is a sausage consisting of cooked blood and fillers such as grains, potatoes or fat
Dark blood pudding is a traditional treat in Ireland, which is traditional. For this reason, the Irish national breakfast can be attributed to the most unusual dishes in the world. Its recipe seems quite ordinary - fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes, sausages, toasts and potatoes, but the exotic thing is to add a few slices of blood pudding. In addition to Ireland, in Taiwan, locals love pork cake, which is made from sticky rice cooked in pork blood and sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.
Wedjimight
A layer of black wedzhimayt on a crispy toast is a favorite treat among Australians. It is prepared from brewer's yeast. This spread was invented in Australia in the 1920s and has since become an Australian national dish and part of the country's history. During the Second World War, Australian troops were given portions of this spread in daily rations. This product is as popular in Australia as hot dogs and apple pie.
So what is Vegemite? It is a salty and at the same time spicy mass with an indescribably unique taste. Many agree that Wedjmite is a product that you need to get used to.
Eskimo ice cream
Despite the harsh climate, the Eskimos have been mixing their special version of ice cream for several months. This is the most unusual dish in the world with the name "Akutak" is a mixture of deer fat with other ingredients. Fat from other local animals, such as seals or moose, can also be added to akutaq. Other ingredients in Eskimo ice cream include fish, caviar or berries. Like regular ice cream, akutak is viscous and cold. But Alaskan treats contain a lot of animal fat, so it will not be as tender and sweet as the usual treat for everyone. Traditional akutaq made by Eskimos in communities along the Bering Strait is not made with sugar. However, in large communities in Alaska today you can find Eskimo ice cream made with a sweetener, which may be a little more acceptable to an unaccustomed person.
Fruit durian
The fruits of durian - this is perhaps the most delicious unusual dish in the world. But do not try to get into the subway or another crowded place with him! Durian smells so much that it is illegal to transport it by public transport or through airports in much of Southeast Asia. This is literally a forbidden fruit in many places. Its smell is described as the stench of sewage, unwashed body or rotten garbage.
But do not worry - it does not affect the taste. Durian inside contains four large bones, covered with thick fleshy flesh. Eat this fruit by slicing it and chopping the flesh. You can pinch your nose while eating. Durian is traditional in Thailand and can be found on sale throughout Asia, and even in Asian markets in other regions of the world.
Fried spiders
This is one of the most unusual dishes in the world, available throughout Cambodia, but is especially popular in the city of Scoon. These creepy creatures crawl heavily in garlic oil until they become crispy on the outside and soft inside. As a rule, a local variety of tarantula is used. The tradition of eating spiders may have begun during the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge, when villagers had to find alternative food sources. Spiders are often sold to travelers walking around the city and looking for quick snacks.
Balut
Eggs are common food all over the world, but in the Philippines they are cooked unusually using a developing duck embryo. Here they cook it alive, still in the shell. Usually this dish is cooked with a little seasoning of chili, garlic and vinegar. All egg contents are eaten, including visible wings and beak. This is a common street food and is often served with cold beer.
Kazu Marzu
Being creamy and soft, this sheep milk cheese looks attractive. But the fact that it contains thousands of living larvae will certainly cause disgust for everyone except the most curious gourmets. This Sardinian cheese is produced under such conditions to allow flies to lay eggs on its surface. When the larvae hatch, they eat the product, destroying fats and softening the usually hard middle. The aftertaste of this spicy cheese lasts for hours. Due to some danger this product is constantly being banned from sale, but demand for it never falls.
McDonald's Menu Abroad
Above were presented the most unusual dishes of the world with names and descriptions. But exotics can be found not only among traditional national recipes, but also in widespread fast food chains. For example, McDonald's is known for all of its burgers, fries, and nuggets. That is why many tourists go to these places in a foreign country, if they do not want to try exotic. At McDonald's international restaurants, many menu items are the same all over the world, while some of them may surprise you or even raise fear of mysterious meat. The following is a selection of unusual products found on the McDonald's menu around the world.
In some parts of Canada, McDonald's restaurants offer a McLobster sandwich with a lobster, salad and celery in a long baguette. In Quebec, some establishments offer poutine: french fries and cottage cheese, topped with sauce.
McArabia has either chicken or spiced beef wrapped in flat bread. This dish is popular in Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Maharaja Mack, made from chicken, is served at McDonald's restaurants in India. Since cows are sacred in this country, you will not find a Big Mac or any other hamburger in the Indian MacDonalds.