Friday, February 3, 2017


Exotic hardly begins to describe some of the unusual foods that are prevalent in some parts of India. We have already covered black rice and fire ant chutney, and this week we introduce yet another rare and extraordinary food item; silkworm larva.

Silkworm larva is a specialty of Assam and originates from the tribal folk of that region. The dish consists of silkworm left after extracting the silk out of the cocoon. Since the cocoon is boiled in hot water to extract the silk, the leftover pupa is already softened. This soft pupa is flavored with herbs and spices and smoked in bamboo shoots. The end result is Eri Polu, a magical dish with a unique aroma and unbelievable tender meat. The cooked silkworm has a crunchy taste on the outside and a dense jelly like consistency on the inside.


The bamboo shoot used to cook the silkworm has its own place in exotic dishes as well. The shoot is prepared with great care and needs some finesse to get it right. Tender grated bamboo shoots and fermented and then mixed with mustard oil, salt, onions and chili. The additives added to the bamboo shoots are either tangy or spicy. The completed mixture is a slightly sour and spicy enough to set your tongue on fire. The spicy nature of the bamboo shoot mixture complements the mellow flavor of the silkworms and gives a dish that has a perfect heat balance.

While it may sound gross to most people, for the tribals of assam it is a delicacy and a good source of nutrition. It also is a sustainable way of utilizing silkworms fully.

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