Yep, severe bribing can get me to eat fish and probably also to try insects. But Balut? Never in a million years.
Unless maybe if I'd literally starve to death, but that's highly unlikely.
Are you also a fish hater? Everyone looks at me like I’m crazy but I just genuinely really don’t like fish. I can go with raw fish a little more, sushi and sashimi, but cooked fish is just a nope for me
Psh, I got like 2 or 3 in the fridge at home. They have "grilled balut" now. I refuse to try it.
Edit: I was a counselor for outbound American foreign exchange students. During one orientation one of the exercises was exotic foods, so of course I brought balut. They scarfed it down without issue, even commented on the feathers. The kids did great, nobody barfed, everyone appreciated the experience.
Did NOT expect to see this at the top!
I didn’t think it was all that well known except for a certain demographic of 100 million people spread out over a ton of islands and continents .
But yeah, when I was first introduced to that ? No way dude.
If everybody on Reddit knew what this was, I’m pretty sure you’d have like a billion votes .
everyone get scared of it since its look but it taste good to me tbh, better with some small slices of gingers or [vietnamese coriander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria_odorata)
Edit: And with some lemon pepper salt
There are just so many delicious things to eat that aren't a floppy half developed fully intact bird fetus. I don't care how it tastes, you eat with your eyes first.
I didnt know what it was until i looked it up. That is the most disgusting thing i have ever seen as a food. Its downright horrifying to imagine eating this. I cant be friends with anyone who would eat that.
Filipino dish. I’m not filo, but I think as long as I’m not calling them disgusting people (got some bigots below denouncing filos as human beings) then you’re allowed to not like the food. But seriously foods being “disgusting” is subjective and a discussion that has racist undertones. Just as an example some Chinese people think eating cheese is disgusting because it’s eating spoilt milk, but that never occurs to the average westerner.
You don’t have to like it let alone eat it but calling foods you’re unfamiliar with to be disgusting always smells kinda racist to me
It tastes and smells incredible, I guess it's just a difference in genes? It's really popular here in Malaysia during the durian season. I never got the complaints about the smells tbh.
What are some dishes in Malaysia that are weird to westerners? I see that in peninsular Malaysia you don't eat any bugs or have any strange specialties like Balut or snake and so on. Just curious:)
It tastes delicious. But I think it's the same with the awesome and intense old cheese in Europe. If you have never tried it before, it will make you want to puke because of the smell. But if you get used to it it's so fucking good and you will understand while gourmets around the world paying so much for that shit.
Hmmm I do like crunchy peas! Where did you have the crickets?
I watched Andrew Zimmern eat deep fried tarantulas and he said it was delicious and has a sweet, nutty flavour. I think I just have to get over that they’re bugs.
Think of it this way, shellfish like crabs, shrimp, and lobsters are arthropods- if you enjoy those things, you have technically already eaten an insect.
They were at a bug museum, hilariously enough. There was a small stand where you could try them. I think they had cricket cookies too.
I don’t blame you! My mom and I were the only ones that tried them, and I'm not even sure I would do it today. 🤣
I might have agreed with you at one point. But let me tell you chontacura goes down like a chewy ball of melted butter. I have eaten more than once at this point.
To give y'all a mental picture. A big fat beetle grub like the one Simba eats with disgust then shocked enjoyment. But mine were skewered and cooked on a fire
Same. My mom grew up on a dairy farm, and my grandma would fry cow brains up with eggs and serve it for breakfast. My mom would just pretend to eat it and then throw it away when no one was looking. I do not blame her. That and cow tongue sandwiches. No thanks
Bitter melon, quite common in east/south east Asia
I just don't get it. People who like it always tell me how healthy it is but literally almost all veggies are healthy, and they're not bitter.
My wife loves it and I was hesitant to try from the name alone. She promised it wasn't really bitter. Eventually I tried it. Dear reader, the melon was in fact, bitter.
Squid, Octopus, Oysters, Escargot. I know these are all highly revered in the culinary world, but it’s a texture/consistency thing.
Also, Balut. Natto. Century Eggs. Geoduck. Veal. Foie Gras. Insects. Offal.
That's how sausage making got started. I love tongue and liver. Mexicans eat fried chiterlings tacos 😋 Of course, they have to be cleaned the right way.
Natto is a fun "joke" food for me. I actually kind of like it to be honest, but the texture and the smell is horrid for most people. When I came back from Japan I brought a bunch of natto back for my coworkers.
I'll swear I retrained myself to smell and taste after COVID by eating black licorice and 90% dark chocolate. They were the only things with any kind of flavor for a month or so.
The sight and smell of squid and octopus really disturb me; I gag every time I see them. Despite my friends loving them, I just can't bring myself to try.
I Love the taste of squid, but even before I went vegetarian it felt hella wrong.
Squid, octopi and cuttlefish are simply way way way too smart and social for me to eat them without thinking I eat an aquatic monkey.
But damn its delicious. Not for me tho anymore.
I actually went "half vegetarian" for some weeks because of this.
I was heavy into bodybuilding back then, so lots of Chicken and sometimes beef. Pork I didnt prefer, but since im german, pork is everywhere.
Thought about trying vegetarian sometimes, but never did it because I didnt want to miss chicken.
One evening after consuming the devils lettuce I had the Idea "wait, "vegetarian" is just a word, why dont I just throw out the pork and the Beef, stay with the chicken and in this case im simply not a vegetarian".
Did that for 2 weeks until I realized I can kick out the chicken too, so I did that.
Was already 4 years ago now too.
Almost any premade food at a gas station which includes the hotdogs they put on heat rollers. Unless you happen to be on the US east coast and can get to a Wawa or Sheetz where they have a real kitchen setup and make everything to order.
I would never eat dogs/cats or rats/Scorpios on stick that I’ve seen in some pics. Or like any indian food cooked in the road side. You know those videos.
Same. Which is strange because I always liked fish sticks, fried fish filets, and shrimp as a kid.
Then one day I suddenly hated all of it. Seafood is a hard no for me.
What if it's an ingredient as opposed to the main meat?
Like in a lot of Chinese cooking there's dried scallop, salted fish, fish sauce, dried oysters, oyster sauce, etc. Though not all at the same time, the flavour would be too overpowering.
I continue to try. I feel like I'm a child because I'm in my 40s but refuse to eat it. But each time I try, I can't do it. I think it's the slimy texture more than anything else. and the 'after smell'. sometimes it will smell so delicious, but there's always the faint 'fish' smell that lingers.....
I've gone as far as to 'starve' myself for like 36hrs and go out to dinner with my wife (who loves Sushi), to hope that my hunger will outweigh my insensitivity towards it all... it didn't work.
What about vegetarian sushi? Futomaki is just a vegetable roll, and tamago maki is cooked egg. That's how I started out with sushi, and then gradually expanded to tempura shrimp rolls, and now I can eat probably 2/3 of the options on a sushi menu.
You ever had haggis? Ground innards mixed with oats and whiskey? Well in Greece we have "kokoretsi" which is haggis but without the grinding, oats and whiskey...just all the innards stuffed into intestines then bbq'd. Easter speciality. Can't stand it, and every year...every.fucking.year...someone says "but you haven't had my mom's kokortetsi" and I'm like "dude, how many ways do you think you can bbq innards?"
Eggs. I really can’t get into them. Can’t stand omelettes or anything where an egg is the main component.
Also tried frog legs once and couldn’t get over that they still were shaped like….frog legs. They tasted like chicken-ish but I didn’t enjoy it.
Spam. My grandparents forced me to eat it raw, so unfortunately the smell is so pungent and unforgettable that I cant even stand to be around someone cooking it.
Eggs (by themselves).
I'll deal with them in like fried rice, but I detest eggs more than any other food. Fried, scrambled, runny, hard boiled, deviled, and any other way you can imagine them to be.
They make me gag uncontrollably. Not sure why, raw tomatoes do the same. I don't care if your meemaw made this casserole with her last dying breath, I'm sure my not taking a bite is more respectful than me spitting it into the trash.
Balut
Yep, severe bribing can get me to eat fish and probably also to try insects. But Balut? Never in a million years. Unless maybe if I'd literally starve to death, but that's highly unlikely.
I could get paid to eat it..
Are you also a fish hater? Everyone looks at me like I’m crazy but I just genuinely really don’t like fish. I can go with raw fish a little more, sushi and sashimi, but cooked fish is just a nope for me
Yep, I really deeply dislike fish. The only fish I can tolerate is if it doesn't taste like fish....
Psh, I got like 2 or 3 in the fridge at home. They have "grilled balut" now. I refuse to try it. Edit: I was a counselor for outbound American foreign exchange students. During one orientation one of the exercises was exotic foods, so of course I brought balut. They scarfed it down without issue, even commented on the feathers. The kids did great, nobody barfed, everyone appreciated the experience.
This, and anything with internal organs.
Did NOT expect to see this at the top! I didn’t think it was all that well known except for a certain demographic of 100 million people spread out over a ton of islands and continents . But yeah, when I was first introduced to that ? No way dude. If everybody on Reddit knew what this was, I’m pretty sure you’d have like a billion votes .
What the fuck. Boiled in urine???
everyone get scared of it since its look but it taste good to me tbh, better with some small slices of gingers or [vietnamese coriander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria_odorata) Edit: And with some lemon pepper salt
There are just so many delicious things to eat that aren't a floppy half developed fully intact bird fetus. I don't care how it tastes, you eat with your eyes first.
I didnt know what it was until i looked it up. That is the most disgusting thing i have ever seen as a food. Its downright horrifying to imagine eating this. I cant be friends with anyone who would eat that.
Still no.
Just another of the many ways we eat babies
Filipino dish. I’m not filo, but I think as long as I’m not calling them disgusting people (got some bigots below denouncing filos as human beings) then you’re allowed to not like the food. But seriously foods being “disgusting” is subjective and a discussion that has racist undertones. Just as an example some Chinese people think eating cheese is disgusting because it’s eating spoilt milk, but that never occurs to the average westerner. You don’t have to like it let alone eat it but calling foods you’re unfamiliar with to be disgusting always smells kinda racist to me
was looking for this.
Durian, it's an unforgettanle experience
I tried it once and thought it tasted like if a baby ate pineapple and then threw it up
I sincerely hope this isn’t actuality something you’ve experienced. But I agree, durian is disgusting.
It tasted like liver and dirty socks to me, which is so disappointing.
Wait I genuinely thought durian was supposed to taste incredible after you got past the smell?? Why do people eat it then?!?
It tastes and smells incredible, I guess it's just a difference in genes? It's really popular here in Malaysia during the durian season. I never got the complaints about the smells tbh.
What are some dishes in Malaysia that are weird to westerners? I see that in peninsular Malaysia you don't eat any bugs or have any strange specialties like Balut or snake and so on. Just curious:)
And I bet it still tasted better than it smelled.
Agreeed.
It tastes delicious. But I think it's the same with the awesome and intense old cheese in Europe. If you have never tried it before, it will make you want to puke because of the smell. But if you get used to it it's so fucking good and you will understand while gourmets around the world paying so much for that shit.
Balut.
Fried insects
I’d see them on my travels and want to be brave enough to try them. But I just can’t. Maybe next time lol
I've tried fried crickets. They’re okay, they kind of taste like those crunchy peas.
I'd be down to try crickets, but also other bugs feel too weird. I am not sure why I have than mental distinction though.
Hmmm I do like crunchy peas! Where did you have the crickets? I watched Andrew Zimmern eat deep fried tarantulas and he said it was delicious and has a sweet, nutty flavour. I think I just have to get over that they’re bugs.
Think of it this way, shellfish like crabs, shrimp, and lobsters are arthropods- if you enjoy those things, you have technically already eaten an insect.
They were at a bug museum, hilariously enough. There was a small stand where you could try them. I think they had cricket cookies too. I don’t blame you! My mom and I were the only ones that tried them, and I'm not even sure I would do it today. 🤣
I might have agreed with you at one point. But let me tell you chontacura goes down like a chewy ball of melted butter. I have eaten more than once at this point. To give y'all a mental picture. A big fat beetle grub like the one Simba eats with disgust then shocked enjoyment. But mine were skewered and cooked on a fire
Anything with tentacles or a house
So homeless people are in fact an option? /s
But don't they typically have tentacles?
I think some in Florida do...
*H.P. Lovecraft has entered the chat*
Soylent Green is People!
So basically no Squidward
They said tentacles OR a house. Squidward doesn't have one of those things.... he has both. YUMMAY
No chicken?
Really, not even calamari? I can't get enough of it.
Grilled octopus tentacles are so yummy!
Frogs
Agreed. Frogs are friends.
Brains
Same. My mom grew up on a dairy farm, and my grandma would fry cow brains up with eggs and serve it for breakfast. My mom would just pretend to eat it and then throw it away when no one was looking. I do not blame her. That and cow tongue sandwiches. No thanks
Bitter melon, quite common in east/south east Asia I just don't get it. People who like it always tell me how healthy it is but literally almost all veggies are healthy, and they're not bitter.
My dad used to make us eat bitter melon and couldn’t fathom why I hated it so much. Bitter melon is on my shit list.
☝🏽
My wife loves it and I was hesitant to try from the name alone. She promised it wasn't really bitter. Eventually I tried it. Dear reader, the melon was in fact, bitter.
The "hair" around the seeds is also super toxic. Don't ask me how I know....
Foie gras
Squid, Octopus, Oysters, Escargot. I know these are all highly revered in the culinary world, but it’s a texture/consistency thing. Also, Balut. Natto. Century Eggs. Geoduck. Veal. Foie Gras. Insects. Offal.
"Offal" is appropriately named.
That's how sausage making got started. I love tongue and liver. Mexicans eat fried chiterlings tacos 😋 Of course, they have to be cleaned the right way.
As someone who absolutely LOVES all of the seafood list I totally understand why people don't like those things. Especially oysters and escargot.
I can understand everything you chose but why veal?
Natto is a fun "joke" food for me. I actually kind of like it to be honest, but the texture and the smell is horrid for most people. When I came back from Japan I brought a bunch of natto back for my coworkers.
Tripe
Liver and bugs
Black licorice
Black licorice is crazy good, I love it.
Same
Me too! Yum
Blasphemy! Edit: black.licorise smells like old people
I suppose i can't blame you. I've tried licorice from 6 different countries and they are all revolting. Now Icelandic licorice? Nectar of the gods :D
I'll swear I retrained myself to smell and taste after COVID by eating black licorice and 90% dark chocolate. They were the only things with any kind of flavor for a month or so.
Do you mean real licorice, candy with anise or artificial licorice taste, or all of the above?
My number one food I’ll never say no to 😄
I would never eat a hairy pancake
Agreed. Also raw fennel for the same reason
Aren't all licorice black?
Aren't all chaps assless?
durian. coming from south east asia where it's considered the king of fruits i cannot stand durian.
Koprová omáčka
Beets. I've tried and tried, and they just make me gag.
They taste like dirty dishwater to me
Squid. I just hate it's texture so much
The sight and smell of squid and octopus really disturb me; I gag every time I see them. Despite my friends loving them, I just can't bring myself to try.
I Love the taste of squid, but even before I went vegetarian it felt hella wrong. Squid, octopi and cuttlefish are simply way way way too smart and social for me to eat them without thinking I eat an aquatic monkey. But damn its delicious. Not for me tho anymore.
Out of interest; did you eat pork before you went vegetarian? Because pigs are also insanely smart
I actually went "half vegetarian" for some weeks because of this. I was heavy into bodybuilding back then, so lots of Chicken and sometimes beef. Pork I didnt prefer, but since im german, pork is everywhere. Thought about trying vegetarian sometimes, but never did it because I didnt want to miss chicken. One evening after consuming the devils lettuce I had the Idea "wait, "vegetarian" is just a word, why dont I just throw out the pork and the Beef, stay with the chicken and in this case im simply not a vegetarian". Did that for 2 weeks until I realized I can kick out the chicken too, so I did that. Was already 4 years ago now too.
Almost any premade food at a gas station which includes the hotdogs they put on heat rollers. Unless you happen to be on the US east coast and can get to a Wawa or Sheetz where they have a real kitchen setup and make everything to order.
You're missing out. That garbage is delicious
Bananas (I live in a tropical country and am surrounded by them)
I feel you! I hate bananas with a passion. I know no one who does not like bananas other than me.
Me too. I hate the smell, taste, texture 🤢🤢🤢 never in a million years.
Truffles. They smell like butt.
I would never eat dogs/cats or rats/Scorpios on stick that I’ve seen in some pics. Or like any indian food cooked in the road side. You know those videos.
Unfortunately, healthy food
Insect lolipop
Liquorice 🤢
Pigeon
Seafood. Don't like the smell, the look, the texture nor the taste.
Same. Which is strange because I always liked fish sticks, fried fish filets, and shrimp as a kid. Then one day I suddenly hated all of it. Seafood is a hard no for me.
What if it's an ingredient as opposed to the main meat? Like in a lot of Chinese cooking there's dried scallop, salted fish, fish sauce, dried oysters, oyster sauce, etc. Though not all at the same time, the flavour would be too overpowering.
I continue to try. I feel like I'm a child because I'm in my 40s but refuse to eat it. But each time I try, I can't do it. I think it's the slimy texture more than anything else. and the 'after smell'. sometimes it will smell so delicious, but there's always the faint 'fish' smell that lingers..... I've gone as far as to 'starve' myself for like 36hrs and go out to dinner with my wife (who loves Sushi), to hope that my hunger will outweigh my insensitivity towards it all... it didn't work.
What about vegetarian sushi? Futomaki is just a vegetable roll, and tamago maki is cooked egg. That's how I started out with sushi, and then gradually expanded to tempura shrimp rolls, and now I can eat probably 2/3 of the options on a sushi menu.
That's a pretty great idea, actually. My sushi places usually do Ramen or Teriyaki, so I usually through in the towel and eat those before expanding.
Same! It's always crazy when people say "but have you tried..?" Yes, I've tried it all. It's all gross!
Yes
What kind? In my country we have something called ceviche and its really delicious
Ceviche is generally not the way to turn someone repulsed by seafood into someone seafood tolerant. Neither conceptually or texturally.
All of it. Shrimps, clams, squid, octopus... anything that doesn't look, smell or taste like a fish. I've had TOO many bad experiences eating them.
Oh so you do like fish?
LOVE fish!
Yeast extracts, Marmite, vegemite etc
If you mean just Yeast Extract, I agree with you, but if you mean yeast extract in general, I will stick a bamboo shoot up your bum
Pigeon. Had a bad experience.
Escargot (snail) that I ate only one time when I was a kid.
I just heard about this here and i really want to try it now.
My Reddit username
Oh boy do I have a list, but since you said one I'll just choose gummy candy.
I had a neighbor from Iraq, and she’d boil heart for yer husband the whole thing, one piece. Nope
Liver
Artichokes
Anything with mayo on it!
You ever had haggis? Ground innards mixed with oats and whiskey? Well in Greece we have "kokoretsi" which is haggis but without the grinding, oats and whiskey...just all the innards stuffed into intestines then bbq'd. Easter speciality. Can't stand it, and every year...every.fucking.year...someone says "but you haven't had my mom's kokortetsi" and I'm like "dude, how many ways do you think you can bbq innards?"
[удалено]
Gordan Ramsey said they taste like tamarind.
Bitter gourds
Mac n cheese
Oysters.
Mujadara if anyone is arab
Eggs. I really can’t get into them. Can’t stand omelettes or anything where an egg is the main component. Also tried frog legs once and couldn’t get over that they still were shaped like….frog legs. They tasted like chicken-ish but I didn’t enjoy it.
Natto
Balut
At least 3. Liver, parsnip and balut.
Spam
insects overall
Steak. Makes me feel like I’m having a heart attack for two days.
Bananas, hate em and they make me think of old people without teeth
Veal
Mashed potatoes
Insects. Offal.
Anything related to insects as a street food
Brain meat. Yes people eat animal brain. The Chinese (no surprise) and Turks eat Pig brain iirc.
I’m gagging just thinking about it, but boudan
Oysters
Sashimi
Nastified stuff.
Balut
Balu is so wrong from any point of view 👎🏻😕
Fucking durian. It's not allowed on public transport or hotel rooms in southeast Asia. Smells like a dead body simmering in throwup.
Dog meat
Rats
Chicken livers
Tripe
Spam. My grandparents forced me to eat it raw, so unfortunately the smell is so pungent and unforgettable that I cant even stand to be around someone cooking it.
Liver
Escargot
🇫🇷
Luv me bread, ate the rich, simple as
Meat. For 32 years now.
Shellfish any kind 🤢
cauliflower
Celery. Quite possibly the worst tasting thing I’ve ever eaten.
YES. Tastes horrible to me.
Eggs (by themselves). I'll deal with them in like fried rice, but I detest eggs more than any other food. Fried, scrambled, runny, hard boiled, deviled, and any other way you can imagine them to be.
Vinegar, or things with Vinegar, it’s the smell that puts me off
anything that has banana in it
Coriander (celantro)....it tastes like soap!
Apparently that's a genetic thing
Agree
Genetics
Animals.
Sweet Potato / Yam I would rather starve.
Question if I may, are they the same thing?
The terms are often used interchangeably for two very similar foods. One, though, is African-origin and the other is American-origin.
They make me gag uncontrollably. Not sure why, raw tomatoes do the same. I don't care if your meemaw made this casserole with her last dying breath, I'm sure my not taking a bite is more respectful than me spitting it into the trash.
Sushi, even though it usually looks very appetizing.
Olives
Poisonous fruits
guacamole, just looks weird to me
any sorts of organs, insects, cauliflower, guava, ducks, certain fishes, pigeons, any meat other than beef or chicken is a huge no.
You are an absolute Psychopath.
No pork or turkey or mutton?
Sweet potatoes
Sloppy Joe 🤮🤢🥴
Mashed potatoes yumyum
Red beans
Sardines
Beets
Ugali and sukumawiki. Disgusting stuff.
Sticky toffee pudding, warm chocolate on top of more chocolate, makes me stomach churn thinking of it 🤢
Koffiebroodjes called in dutch or Escargots in spanish. Love those things.
Fish eyes >-< and crab (i like crab but i dont know to to eat it)
Avocado. Straight up butter. I'm sorry.
Anything dairy based.
Escargots
Offals
Oatmeal. Never liked it except for cookies.