10 Weird Foods In India

Top 10 Weird Foods In India

India is a land of diversity, culture and traditions. It is also the land of rich and delicious cuisines! Indian food is a beautiful blend of culture and customs of various regions. It boasts of robust flavours, a mind blowing variety, spices and surprises. But, this time around, let’s take the road less travelled and venture into the unexplored side of Indian food.

Below is the list of ‘unusual’ food, not your innocent everyday classics, but a bucket list of the fearless foodie! Bizarre, weird, exotic - decide for yourself!

List of top 10 weird foods in India

1. Baby Shark Curry

2. Red ants chutney - Chattisgarh

3. Eri Polu - Assam

4. Phan Pyut - North East India

5. Doh Khleh - Meghalaya

6. Frog legs - Sikkim and Goa

7. Khorisa - North Eastern

8. Tilli - Pune

9. Snail stew and Steamed Hornets - Kohima (Nagaland)

10. Hilsa Eggs - Bengal

1. Baby Shark Curry - Goa

Photo: Flavoursofmykitchen

On the waters of Goa, one of the most impressive sights is the baby shark. The same baby shark is a star dish of Goan cuisine – they make a curry out of it. This dish is prepared using different sauces and doesn’t come cheap since the fishermen put lots of effort to catch them. If you’re in Goa, you’ll find that this is a star dish of Goan cuisine. Like any other fish just think of it, really. It is very well-loved by the locals since it’s very difficult to catch, this is one curry that won’t come for cheap. Who is afraid of sharks, anymore?

2. Red ants chutney - Chattisgarh

Photo: Latestlaws

The great Indian chutney makes every dish come alive, but this one right here can make you have second thoughts before consuming it! From the wilderness of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, comes a red hot chutney called ‘chaprah’, a dip made with red ants and their eggs. The ants are dried and then crushed with salt and spices. Ants contain Formic acid which is believed to render medicinal qualities. The local Dhuruva tribe will tell you that it’s not just a dish, but an adventure.

3. Eri Polu - Assam

Photo: Mantraindian Blogspot

This is a popular food ingredient in Assam. It’s basically eri silkworm pupa. This means once a silkworm starts enclosing the cocoon of eri silk, the pupa stage of their life cycle begins and as soon as the silk is taken out by boiling the cocoon in hot water, the leftover silkworm – the pupa – is prepared with Khorisa, another exotic food ingredient of this state (see unusual dish number one). The dish looks colourful, has a strong aroma and literally melts in your mouth.

RELATED: Top 10 Best Indian Dishes And Recipes

4. Phan Pyut - North East India

Photo:Holidify

If you are vegetarians you probably didn’t expect any vegetarian dishes here. Well, (un)fortunately, there is one! For the majority of Indians, potatoes are part of the staple diet. Except that the potatoes are rotten. Ask them why and they’ll tell you how delicious it is. This one probably tops the list of unusual foods in India which people actually eat as the main ingredient itself is rotten! But people have no qualms about it eating it raw or cooking it like any other vegetable and they enjoy eating it.

5. Doh Khleh - Meghalaya

Photo: presentedbyp

This dish takes extreme cuisine up a notch. Doh Khleh is a pork and onion salad garnished with pig's brain which is simply steamed. The three main tribes in Meghalaya - Khasis, Garos and Jaintia, have always been known for their love of pork and rice. You've probably heard of Jadoh, another popular North-east dish made with rice, pork offal and chicken blood. Not yet? Then, that's the start of another long list. If you've ever come across something unexpected, I'd love to hear about it.

6. Frog legs - Sikkim and Goa

Photo: trendmantra

This French delicacy has been pleasing Indian taste buds for a long time. The Lepchas community in Sikkim swears by the medicinal quality present in this dish, to cure various stomach ailments. In Goa, it is more famously known as ‘jumping chicken’. Although, it’s recognised as a threatened species by the Government of India, yet you will find some restaurants serving it.

7. Khorisa - North Eastern

Photo: Khorisa

A popular Assamese dish that consists of a grated bamboo shoot is fermented in raw or pickled form. It is believed to have been borrowed from the culinary habits of China, where fermenting and pickling different vegetables is common practice. It is a widely used ethnic food ingredient in Assam and gives the cuisine of this region a distinct flavor. Eaten mainly with fish, Khorisa is a widely enjoyed unusual dish in India among the natives of the North-Eastern state.

8. Tilli - Pune

Photo: indiamart

The taste and aroma of this street snack from Pune takes some getting used to. Tilli essentially refers to the spleen and buffalo's spleen is quite a hit. It is marinated in mild spices and char-grilled or roasted. It has a distinct sharp taste. According to the Indian Food Blogger, Chowder Singh, "I tried tilli while in Pune, and let's just say that I am not a fan. It has a somewhat rotten smell and a texture similar to that of the liver." It is preferred by some non-vegetarians as the spleen contains a high concentration of iron.

9. Snail stew and Steamed Hornets - Kohima (Nagaland)

Photo: homegrown

Vampire blood. Just kidding, but chomping over curried creepy crawlies is worth the dare. You'll find snail stew, steamed hornet larvae and silkworm curry famously being sold on streets. The state is home to more than 15 tribes, each with its distinctive style of cooking. Let the ‘fearless’ in you come to the surface when you are about to eat a meal in Nagaland. One of the most famous and delicious dishes here is snail stews and steamed hornet larvae, sold majorly on the streets and it’s believed to be yummy!

10. Hilsa Eggs - Bengal

Photo: Holidify

The charm of caviar be damned for here's our very own desi version. Fleshy, kidney-shaped chunks are gently dusted with spices and tossed in mustard oil to be served as a Monsoon delicacy. It is also lightly fried and eaten as a snack. The taste of Hilsa comes from the water in which it swims and the subtle flavor is transferred to the roe. Hilsa or Ilisha is a species of fish found in the state of West Bengal and also a popular food amongst the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Ilisha Eggs dish is made with mustard oil and turmeric. Hilsa or Ilisha is a species of fish found in the state of West Bengal and also a popular unusual food amongst the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Hilsa Eggs dish, one of the bizarre dishes in India is made with turmeric and mustard oil.

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