Mongolian Boodog
This unique Mongolian barbecue is made from marmot or goat.
They break the animal’s leg bones and remove the internal organs.
Then, they stuff hot stones inside and place the food they want to cook on top.
Meat, potatoes, and vegetables are packed into the marmot’s skin, which is then sealed.
The outer fur is singed off, and the stuffed animal is placed on embers to cook.
This dish feeds a whole family and is also known as "Outer Mongolia" since nomads traditionally enjoy it.
Casu Marzu
Italy’s Sardinia island is home to Casu Marzu, nicknamed the world’s most unappetizing cheese.
Its preparation defies health regulations and is banned in the European Union.
Today, it’s only made and enjoyed at home.
This sheep’s milk cheese is infested with larvae of a special fly, and the wriggling worms indicate it’s perfectly ripe.
The cheese wheel has a large hole on top, and when the tiny maggots start popping, locals spread it on bread and dig in.
Century Egg
Most often made from duck eggs, the century egg is a popular dish in China.
Salt-preserved and aged to a dark brown or black color, its history dates back 600 years to Hunan province.
It’s a traditional treat you can even find on supermarket shelves.
Eggs cured in charcoal, lime, and salty water become jelly-like and are usually served as an appetizer with soy sauce and ginger for a flavor boost.
Fruit Bat Soup
On the Micronesian island of Palau, this unusual soup features a whole bat.
They cook the entire animal in a pot for hours because its meat is very tough.
It’s simmered with coconut milk and then frozen.
After thawing, it’s best eaten within half an hour.
Due to bats carrying many diseases, this dish was banned across Asia during the Ebola outbreak.
Juicy Squirrel Brain
Surprisingly, this isn’t a distant Asian delicacy but a specialty from Kentucky, USA, where the rusty-colored rodent is common.
Despite its popularity, eating it risks mad cow disease, with cases reported annually.
The squirrel brain is cooked like a stew and sometimes served with egg and white sauce.
Balut Served in the Shell
Balut is popular in the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries.
This visually shocking dish is a fertilized duck egg containing an embryo.
The egg is boiled with the developed chick inside, then served on hot sand, and eaten straight from the shell.
Despite its horror-movie look, it’s considered a healthy dish and appears on menus at trendy restaurants.
Baby Mouse Wine
If you think dog meat is Korea’s most shocking dish, think again.
This alcoholic drink made from newborn mice is highly sought after in both Korea and China.
Mice up to 3 days old are soaked in pure rice liquor, where they ferment for 12 to 14 months.
It’s believed to help with serious health issues like asthma and liver disease, so its production continues despite controversy.
