One of the most interesting and enjoyable ways to experience a new culture is through traditional foods. From guinea pig in Ecuador to kangaroo in Australia, there are many foods that Americans don't eat and find "disgusting". Wherever I go, I like to try whatever I can, this way I can make an educated decision to say whether I like it or not. Also, it's really cool to be able to say "I ate [insert weird food].
South Africa was the place that I expanded my "weird foods list" the most. From malva pudding to Mopane worms, I ate it all! Here's a description (as best as I can) as to what each food is and how it tastes.
1) Malva Pudding
Malva pudding is a traditional cake made out of figs, dates, and spices that is served with a vanilla custard. When it is moist, this pudding is absolutely delicious, tasting like the less-chemically made inside of a fig newton with an almost chocolate undertone. The vanilla custard pairs really well with it, adding a necessary dimension of flavor. However, when this cake is dry, it looks deceivingly like chocolate cake and has a burned taste and gritty texture.
2) Sandstone Rock
I know this isn't technically a food, but it is traditionally eaten in Africa, so I'm going to count it anyway. Many African women suffer from an iron deficiency, and the natural iron found in this rock can help counteract that. Many times, the tradition is passed down from mother to daughter, and the mother teaches the girl to eat a small amount of this rock everyday to remain healthy. That's how our tour guide in Soweto started eating them. While she says that the sandstone tastes like chocolate, I can assure you that it does not (at least to me). It tastes exactly like you would expect a rock to taste: dry, crunchy, gritty, and like dirt.
3) Crocodile
Crocodile is one of those foods that you can get in the United States, I just hadn't tried it until I went to South Africa. It has a sort of delicate taste with no distinct flavors that are similar to other foods I've had (although I imagine it would taste similar to alligator) and a texture that is a cross between a white fish and scallops.
4) Chicken Feet
Chicken feet are very traditional in South Africa, and they are made by literally boiling the feet and legs of a chicken and usually served at room temperature. The hardest part about eating chicken feet is figuring out how to do it. The trick is to bend back and break off the toenails, bite at the first joint, and suck the meat off of the toe. The feet feel slimy to the touch, but that texture isn't really apparent when you eat it. Otherwise, it just tastes like really rubbery chicken, which is good considering it is chicken. Bonus points to you if you see a chicken with only one foot on it afterwards.
5) Kudu
Kudu is a type of antelope that is fairly popular in South Africa. It is definitely one of the bigger antelope and has meat that works well in a sausage (which is how I tried it). If you go on safari before you eat the kudu, you can even do a "meet and eat"!. Because of the way the kudu I ate was served, I can't say much about its natural texture, but it tastes like a mix between lamb, goat, and deer. Very gamey, but there are some familiar flavors there as well.
6) Mopane Worms
The most "exotic" thing that I ate on this trip were perhaps the mopane worms. Yes, they are actual worms. No, they weren't still alive. The worms were rolled in spices and then pan fried. Also, these worms were fatter than the earthworms that we are used to in the USA- they are more short and stout than long and thin. Apart from a slightly gritty texture, the taste was mainly of the spices used (salt, pepper, and herbs). I couldn't really taste much of the natural "worm" flavor, which leads me to believe it's very mild. I do wish that I had gotten the worms fresh out of the pan, because then they would have had a crunchier texture- as it was, they were quite chewy. All in all, not what I expected from eating worms. Not saying they're my favorite food, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
Happy munching!
