Insect Recipes

Garlic Buffalo Worm Salad

garlic buffalo worm salad

Quite a few ingredients but quick to prepare and definitely worth it.

  • Prep Time20 min
  • Cook Time5 min
  • Total Time25 min
  • Yield3-4
  • Course
    • Appetizer
    • Salad

Ingredients

    • 10g buffalo worms
    • 150g toasted peanuts, crushed in a pestle and mortar
    • 300ml tamarind water
    • 100ml soy sauce
    • 300g palm sugar
    • 100g fennel
    • 6 leaves baby gem lettuce
    • 30g cucumber
    • 10 whole mint leaves roughly torn
    • small handful coriander
    • 20g pomegranate seeds
    • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 300ml vegetable oil (for deep-frying buffalo worms)
     

Preparation

1

In a small saucepan heat the vegetable oil to 160 ℃, then add the crushed garlic cloves to infuse the oil. Once the oil is up to temperature, fry the buffalo worms for 3-4 minutes until they are crunchy and garlic-infused (they will stop making noise in the oil when they are ready, as all the moisture will be extracted, making them crunchy). When cooked, remove from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen roll.

2

On a medium heat, combine the palm sugar and tamarind water, stirring regularly to ensure the sugar does not stick to the pan. Once melted, add the peanuts and soy sauce, then remove and leave to cool. Check the seasoning as it may need some adjustment – it should taste sweet and sour with a savory, salty edge.

3

Lastly, prepare the vegetables and fruit for the salad. Slice the pomegranate in half, across the core, then hit the skin side with a spoon in order to get all the edible seeds out. Remove the core and the stems of the fennel and slice the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Slice the cucumber and baby gem lettuce, then combine in a mixing bowl. Add a generous helping of the salad dressing and serve.