Thu Hà

Australian việt kiều Trần Quang Thắng was impressed with roasted chrysalis cicadas, a special dish of Bình Phước.

Thắng, who toured the southern province this summer, said his local friend invited him to try the dish.

Bình Phước's roasted chrysalis cicadas attract locals and tourists alike. Photo mia.vn

“I was a bit apprehensive at first of it because it looks so strange to me, but with my friend’s encouragement, I gave it a try and actually enjoyed it. It has a crispy texture with a buttery and peppery flavour. The dipping sauce is made from garlic and chilli, and you top it off with some fresh herbs,” he said.

Thắng’s friend Lương Hoàng Cường, a local in the area, says people always go out in summer to catch cicadas in the forest, as well as in the fields growing cashews and rambutans.

Young cicadas are ready to be cooked. Photo monanviet.com.vn

His four-member family earns between 3-4 million a day at peak season from catching cicadas in these forests.  

Summer is an ideal time to catch chrysalis cicadas, said Cường, adding that apart from roasting, locals often use them to cook porridge or fry them with fresh onions.

Making a tasty cicada dish isn't easy. The chef has to cut off its wings, clean it well then soak it in lightly salted water for half an hour, Cường said.

Roasted cicadas are a speciality of the southern province of Bình Phước. Photo monanviet.com.vn

"To ensure food safety, the washed cicadas are soaked in boiling water for several minutes and then washed again in cold water before being marinated with a spicy, peppery mix and tossed with garlic and onion," he said. "Then they're roasted in cooking oil until it they turn yellow with a fragrant smell." 

Cường said he also likes marinated cicadas wrapped in wild leaves and grilled over charcoal.

“The crisp of cicadas joining with the piper leaves gives off a great taste which is hard to describe,” he said.

Locals catching cicadas in a cashew forest. Photo binhphuoc.gov.vn

A merchant said the price of live cicadas is rather high, about VNĐ500,00-VNĐ600,000 per kg. But they're difficult to buy as they're purchased by traders. Restaurants order in advance and store them in a refrigerator to treat guests. 

Nutritionist Vũ Quốc Trung said the popular cicada dish is rich in protein and nutrition compared with pork and can be used in traditional medicine to allegedly cure a number of ailments. 

He said, however, that the cicadas could be victims of parasitic fungi, including poisonous mushrooms that could cause issues if eaten.

He warned that people should be carefully when eating dishes cooked from cicadas. VNS