Ikan Patin Gulai Tempoyak (Patin fish in fermented durian gravy. — Filepic
If you’ve watched Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern on TV before, you would have an idea of the kind of strange or exotic foods some people consume around the world.
While some of us will never think of ever eating these foods, others have been eating them since they were children, so they don’t see anything weird about them.
Here are some of the dishes which have made their way to Malaysia or originate from our own local food culture.
You can decide for yourselves whether you want to try any of them or steer clear altogether! — Compiled by PATSY KAM
1 Durian tempoyak
If you think the smell of durian is overpowering, tempoyak, obtained from fermented overripe durian, has an even stronger smell and taste.
A traditional Malay condiment that’s common in the east coast, the paste is usually mixed with chillies to make a dip to go with ulam (raw vegetable salad) or meats, and the taste is akin to sour mayonnaise.
It is also used to cook tempoyak patin (a type of fish).
Just like durian, it’s one of those things you either love or hate with a passion.
Century egg is usually eaten with porridge. — Filepic
2 Century egg
This is a type of delicacy that’s become quite commonplace today, originally derived from Chinese food culture.
It is made by preserving (usually) duck, chicken or quail’s eggs in a mixture of clay, wood ash, salt and quicklime over a few weeks.
The egg white turns black and has a gelatinous texture while the yolk becomes a murky green-grey hue.
These are normally eaten with porridge but some also eat it on its own, accompanied by slices of pickled ginger.
Contrary to old wives’ tales and the smell, century eggs are not preserved in horse urine.
It might look like it’s rotten due to its black colour, but it’s not and it is quite common to see it on the table whenever porridge is served.
Sup Torpedo. — Filepic
3 Bull’s penis
Bull’s penis soup is widely dubbed Sup Torpedo, and there’s a pretty clear reason why people (usually men) consume this – to enhance their sexual prowess.
The soup itself is quite delicious, no different from the usual sup kambing (mutton soup) or sup ekor (oxtail soup).
Cooked with classic mamak herbs and spices, the soup is robust and flavourful.
If you’re a fan of offal (internal organs of animals), this should go down easy.
However, if you happen to lay eyes on the exotic meat, it is difficult to unsee or forget what it is you are eating!
Balut, with a partially formed duck embryo. — Filepic
4 Balut
Balut is essentially duck egg with a partially developed embryo.
You can find this boiled or steamed, eaten as it is or with chilli sauce.
A common street food in the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam, you can find this in Sabah and Sarawak as well.
The taste is similar to a hard-boiled egg, though it smells somewhat fermented and may have crunchy bits if the embryo is already in the later stages of development.
The thought of consuming an almost formed embryo is probably the most off-putting, rather than the taste itself.
Stinky tofu. — Filepic
5 Stinky tofu
A common street food originating from Hong Kong and Taiwan, today this smelly dish is easily found in the local pasar malam (night markets) and sold by food trucks.
The pungent smell is what hits you first, even from miles away.
Someone described it as the putrid smell of a dumpster. I
f you’re familiar with that strong odour, you’ll probably agree.
Stinky tofu is made by fermenting the bean curd in brine with milk, vegetables, or sometimes, meat or fish.
It can be stewed, braised or barbecued.
The taste – once you get past the smell – is no different from any other tofu, normally eaten with chilli, onion, garlic or soy sauce.
This fermented tofu is said to be a good source of protein.
Some of its fans have even claimed other health benefits, like lowering cholesterol.
