A Deliciously Tasty White Ant Egg Soup Recipe
If you enjoy eating Asian-style soups but you don’t want to go to restaurants on a regular basis, then you might try to create a recipe on your own. However, if you don’t have an Asian cooking background, then it can be difficult to create your own recipe. This is especially true if your favorite Asian-style soup is White Ant Egg Soup or a similar type of soup that contains insects or the eggs of them. Fortunately, there are many delicious recipes online, including a delicious White Ant Egg soup recipe.
What is a White Ant Egg Soup?
White Ant Egg soup is a very nutritious soup that originated in North-Eastern Thailand. It is considered to be a Laotian and North-Eastern Thai delicacy that is prepared using the eggs of ants, in addition to garlic, galangal, lemon grass, snakehead fish, tamarind bean, lime juice, basil leaves, tomatoes and fish stock. This combination makes a very delicious and filling soup that people eating it enjoy very much. In the past, this delectable soup was made using weaver ants, otherwise known as red ants in Thailand, but the recipe has since been updated to be prepared with white ants.
Is White Ant Egg Soup Healthy?
White Ant Egg soup is incredibly healthy, as it contains hefty doses of not only protein, but also niacin, vitamin B 1, iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and vitamin B 2. These minerals have helped Thai men, women and children to thrive over the years, despite their agricultural challenges. White ant eggs are believed to contain less fat than chicken eggs, which increases their health even further.
What Do White Ant Eggs Taste Like?
Many people report that white ant eggs taste nutty and very pleasant when eaten alone. When eaten in other dishes, they are said to significantly enhance the flavor of the dish. Others who consume white ant eggs compare their taste to crunchy omelets, explaining that they’re crisp on the outside, especially when fried, and soft and chewy on the inside. Some people even compare the taste of white ant eggs to shrimp or other seafood. Of course, the taste of this food depends on how the eggs are prepared.
What are White Ants?
White ants are essentially termites, and they’re not actually ants at all. However, if you see white “ants,” you will likely agree that they look just like a typical ant, but they’re merely translucent, unlike other ants. These ants are plentiful in Thailand, which is one reason why this soup and other recipes containing these insects have become so prevalent.
Why Are Ant Eggs Eaten in Thailand and Other Countries?
Again, white ants are filled with great nutrition, and they’re considered to be a delicacy in Thailand and other areas. One main reason why individuals in this part of the country began eating insects in the first place is because of their challenges growing adequate amounts of crops. It was also out of the question to try to raise cattle, due to the immense cost. This is why many people turned to insects. Insects were plentiful, easy to catch, and many who ate them determined that they tasted great. Ants aren’t the only insects that are consumed in Thailand, as other bugs like giant water bugs, bamboo worms, and crickets.
White Ant Egg Soup Recipe
While not many people in the United States consume insects on a regular basis, some are more adventurous than others. If you consider yourself to be open-minded and you want to try White Ant Egg Soup, here is one of the many recipes that can be found on the web:
Prep time – 10 minutes Cook time – one hour and 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Approximately 500 grams of pork ribs, cut into bite-size pieces
- Water – 2 liters of water
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp thin soy sauce
- 10 slices of fresh ginger
- 12 tsp of MSG (optional)
- Approximately 100 grams of wild phakwan leaves
- 1 small bowl of white ant eggs
Instructions:
- Obtain a large pot and add water. Additionally, add in a little bit of salt, ginger, MSG (if you’re using this ingredient) as well as the thin soya sauce.
- Bring the water to a boil, and once it begins to boil, add the bite-size pork ribs. Allow it to come to a boil again and then lower the heat to medium-low.
- Allow the dish to cook until the pork becomes tender, which should take you about 1 hour.
- When the meat is tender, turn up the heat to high and then add wild-phakwan leaves as well as the ant eggs.
- Allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes. If needed, taste and adjust the flavors according to your own personal preference. Your White Ant Egg Soup is now ready to be enjoyed!
There may be other variations to the recipe, and you can also substitute many of the ingredients in order to better suit your own tastes. However, in order for it to be considered authentic Thai White Ant Egg soup, keeping it as close as possible to this recipe is necessary. You can always use a different type of ant eggs, if desired, but be sure to use ant eggs, because they are the main ingredient of the recipe and it gives it its overall flavor. As you can see, this soup can vary drastically when it comes to how it’s made and what ingredients it contains, and the only ingredients that always remains consistent are the ant eggs.
If you enjoy this recipe, perhaps, if you ever decide to visit Thailand one day, you can eat this dish, which is prepared in a restaurant. You might also meet some local friends who will make the soup in their home for you. Regardless of where you are able to consume some, chances are it will be made in a customized way, but it will likely still be as delicious as you expect it to be.
As you can see, White Ant Egg soup is a delicacy that originated in certain parts of Thailand many years ago after poor people were unable to access other types of protein-based foods. People in Thailand began eating bugs as a way to obtain the much-needed protein that was scarce due to the farming challenges that they experienced. People from Thailand and other areas continue to enjoy eating this soup, not only because of its high nutritional value, but because they consider it to be delicious. Hopefully, you will make the recipe and share it with your family so you can enjoy this soup as much as Thai people do.
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