BY KIM ATIENZA
We live in challenging times. As the number of COVID-19 cases rise everywhere, and people complain of food sources or their high prices, we are reminded of certain peoples, places and cultures that eat differently from the rest of us.
For instance, did you know that in South Africa, termites and ants are often roasted and eaten by the handful, like popcorn?
We need not go too far.
In Pampanga and some parts of Central Luzon, the ordinary cricket, locally called kamaru, is similarly roasted and eaten as a delicacy. Some Pampangueño restaurants even serve the dish in Metro Manila.
Cooked adobo-style, it is a favored dish during drinking sessions, but is also being served as a viand during meals.
This insect tastes just as good when deep fried, toasted and crispy, then eaten dipped in vinegar.
Kamaru has the taste of ordinary food, much like farm frog.
Mole crickets are typically 3 to 5 centimeters long. Muscular in built, its abdomen is the softest part of the body. Kamaru is rich in protein.
They thrive in rice fields where they feed themselves with leaves and grains.
They don’t bite and don’t eat anything else but.
Such a diet makes kamaru healthy food. Farmers love them, although kamaru can be a big no-no to the uninitiated.
*
TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): Honeybee workers must visit 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey.
Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.
