When you think about Indian food, all you can imagine is mouth-watering curries, spicy kebabs, royal biryanis, delightful sweets and, so much more! Indian food is a beautiful amalgamation of our culture, diversity and, traditions and boasts enchanting flavors and mind-blowing recipes. Our food represents the warmth of our people. Next is a list of the most bizarre Indian foods eaten by the fearless foodies across the country. These foods are relished amongst the Tribal culture of India. These foods are sure to give Bear Grylls a run for his money! Let’s dive into the world of the weirdest dishes eaten by Indians that are surely going to take you by surprise!
1. ERI POLU
Hailing from Assam, the primary ingredient of the dish is silkworm pupae after it has spun its cocoon. The silkworm is boiled in hot water and flavored with spices and herbs. The texture of the cooked silkworm is uniquely characterized by a crunchy taste on the outside and a dense jelly on the inside. A bamboo shoot that is prepared with great care and is used for cooking silkworms. The tender bamboo shoots are fermented and combined with mustard oil, onions, chili, salt and spices. This combination is the right balance of sweet, tangy and spicy, just right to set your taste buds on a flavorful journey. The pleasantly rich flavors of the silkworm complement the flavorful preparation of the bamboo and make a delicious dish!
2. FROG LEGS
This delicacy is an integral part of the Sikkim and Goan cuisines. The Lepchas community of Sikkim believe this dish has medicinal properties like curing stomach ailments. This dish is said to be a French delicacy but enjoyed widely in India too. The Indian Bullfrog is a monsoon treat and is referred to as the jumping chicken in restaurants of Goa. This species of frogs is termed endangered by the government of India but it is served in many restaurants.
3. DOG MEAT
India hosts a majority of a vegetarian population but some tribal communities Tibeto-Burman communities, and in some states of Northeast India, particularly Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. This dish hails from Nagaland, whose cuisine includes spiders, dogs, beef, crabs, pork, and elephant meat. The preparation of this delicacy varies according to preferences and cultures.
4. HALDI KA HALWA
This dish is predominantly available during the winter months around Makar Sankranti. It is known to keep the body warm from within and boost immunity. It is a combination of Haldi (turmeric), ghee, jaggery.
5. ONION HALWA
Onions are savored in the raw form as a part of everyday meals. Many people refuse to consume onions in their uncooked form because of the strong flavor and the stinging sensation on the tongue and the odor. But in some places in India, the onions are used to make a delicious sweet. The onions are diced and then fried in ghee or butter until they are cooked or form a mash. Later they are mixed with milk, sugar and garnish with cashew, raisins, and almonds to make it richer.
6 BABY SHARK CURRY
This dish is relished across the state of Goa and is a famous dish n Goan restaurants. This fish is very difficult to catch and hence is an expensive dish. If you feel like relishing this dish, Google offers you an enormous range of recipes that you can try!
7. RAT MEAT
Rat meat is one of the weirdest preparations eaten by Indians. This meat is widely consumed in Bihar and is called Patal Bagheri. it is a common practice among the Musahar community of Bihar, which is considered as the poor of the poorest. To solve the problem of hunger and poverty people, resorted to eating rat meat. It is a delicacy served in many restaurants too!
8. KHORISA
This Assamese dish is a combination of grated bamboo shoots fermented in a pickle or a form. this dish has its roots in culinary habits such as fermenting and pickling different vegetables of China. It is an ethnic food It is an ethnic food and eaten predominantly with fish. This dish is said to have a shelf life of more than one year and due to the fermentation process, it is a preservative on its own. It is added in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties.
9. HILSA EGGS
This dish is prepared from species of fish which is primarily found in West Bengal. It is also widely consumed by people in Odisha as well as Andhra Pradesh. This dish is flavored by using turmeric and mustard oil.
10. CHAPRAH
Chaprah is one of the favorite chutneys eaten by tribals in Chhatisgarh. It is a combination of red ants, eggs and spices. The tribals relish this spicy chutney with their everyday food and even garnish it with red ants. It is highly spiced, the red ant chutney is a combination of crushed red ants, their eggs, coriander, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, chilli, salt and a pinch of sugar. Some recipes prefer adding onion and coconut powder to the paste. The tribals believe that the formic acid in the ants contributes to the spicy flavor and impart medicinal properties.
11. BENAMI KHEER
Who doesn’t love a nice bowl of creamy kheer full of sweetness, dry fruits and Kesar! But you’ll be surprised to know this the main ingredient in this kheer is Garlic! Garlic is crushed and boiled in milk for hours to get the nutty flavor. it is a legendary dish from the Aberdeen kitchen. The chefs did so because they did not want to reveal the main ingredient of this. The word Benam means something without a name.
12. DOH KHLIEH
Doh Khlieh is another unusual dish from Meghalaya. It tastes very similar to pork and onion salad and is garnished with steamed pig brain. This dish forms a healthy meal and it is eaten as a salad made up of pork, onions and chilies. Some recipes also suggest giving a Mexican touch by adding tomatoes, carrots, lemons, and beans. It is also cooked in the form of curry and is eaten with bread.
13. JADOH
This is a very famous dish that is relished by the Kathy community of Meghalaya. This recipe is a combination of red rice and pork meat. In some regions, it is cooked with chicken or fish. Green chilies, onions, turmeric, black pepper, ginger and Bay leaves enhance its flavor. Pieces of pork are fried and combined with the rice. This recipe can also be experimented with by cooking it with pork blood.
14. BUFFALO SPLEEN
This dish is known as Philly. It is Buffalo Spain marinated in spice. It is char-grilled and set to have high nutritional properties of iron, protein, and low in fat. This dish is an aromatic and delicious street snack that is sold and enjoyed in Pune.
15. BHUNNI
Hailing from the Garhwal region in Uttarakhand Bhunni dish comprises of goats liver, stomach, intestines and, blood. These ingredients are marinated with a few spices and relished. Well, this dish is definitely for the brave!
16. PHAN PYUT
Now let’s read about a vegetarian dish on the list! Don’t we all love potatoes? Delicious preparation like Bhajiya? Fries? Wafers? There are so many flavorful recipes of potatoes we relish! But Phan Pyut is an unusual recipe made from rotten potatoes. This side dish is extra old potatoes and some spices and is an adventure for the taste buds.
17. NANKHAM
This dish is relished amongst the members of the Garo tribe in Meghalaya. It is a special dish made from dry fish sun-dried or fired ride. The dried fish is fried and boiled in water. It is made in the form of a viscous rich soup and flavored with vegetables, lots of cheese, and pepper making it a tasty and tangy dish suitable for the Meghalayan weather. People say this dish tastes delicious but, it smells rotten.
18. SNAIL STEW AND STEAMED HORNETS
A meal in Nagaland is not for the weak-hearted. This state is classified among 15 tribal communities. One of these communities enjoys this rich delicacy which is prepared from snail stews, silkworms, and steamed hornet larvae. All the ingredients are steamed and cooked together creatively forming a beautiful dish which is a signature dish of Nagaland.
19. SORPOTEL
This dish is a delicacy that is cooked from pigs’ internal organs known as pork offal. This dish is Portuguese in tradition but, it is enjoyed till today. Mismash or confusion means that this dish is a combination of many ingredients the spices and the flavor of this dish differ from region to region and cultural differences. the recipe differs such as the size of the pieces, starting, boiling, parboiling.
20. SIRI MUDIYA
This dish is one of the strangest foods eaten in India, primarily in parts of north India. The whole head of a goat is roasted in a traditional chulha which makes it simple to remove the skin and the hair and, then cut into pieces and cook well. People address this dish as Siri or Mudiya, that means head of the goat.
