On the menu: Cicada Sushi

France Media Agency

Bun Lai, a lawyer for sustainable food, invited Washington residents to a weekend worm hunt in a park and then tasted fried cicada sushi for free on social media.

The appearance of billions of “cicadas” in the east of the country is an opportunity for this American chef of Asian descent to discuss alternative farming methods and gastronomy.

“In a world plagued by the greatest pandemic in history – not COVID-19, but foodborne illnesses – we need to adopt a revolutionary approach to our eating habits,” he told AFP.

The group of food items began by collecting cicadas and edible plants under the attentive eye of Bun Lai. “Cicadas” are placed in a salad bowl along with other ingredients near the barbecue.

“Two billion people eat insects. Americans do not eat insects, ”said the chef. “But half the world thinks bugs are delicious, they are. ”

Stella Rock was scared of insects and initially did not show much interest in biting the cicadas.

“For me, it’s a way to overcome my fear,” the 36-year-old said.

And try her only once. Restaurants in and around the capital now offer all kinds of food for the adventurous palate, from crispy cicada tacos to chocolate-coated cicadas.

According to Bun Lai, be careful not to turn cicadas into the newest culinary trend, which will lead to their over-consumption, he stressed, “as we do with most species, we are obsessed.”

The chef season the insects with salt before frying in a large skillet. The cicadas were then made into sushi and wrapped in large sheets with rice and vegetables, then served for flavor.

Stella Rock, who picked up the trash as expected, said she was “pleasantly surprised”.

“I was scared when I (Sushi) held her hand,” she told AFP. “I didn’t think I could eat the bug, but I really liked it and took it back. It’s so good.”

And interestingly, cicadas “have a nutty taste, very crisp,” Mr. says.^{To me} Rock.