God provides locusts as food for the Jews in Israel. According to the Bible, locusts are an acceptable kosher food for Jews to eat! Can you imagine eating a plate full of fried locusts at McDonalds?
Many people in our modern times find it hard to eat insects, such as locust. But, God instructed the Jews, through Moses, that locusts are acceptable to eat. Of course, they should be properly prepared.
Leviticus 11:21-22 “Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.”
John the Baptist, who is Jewish, ate locusts as a regular part of his diet.
Matthew 3:4 “And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”
In our modern times, locusts are considered to be a delicacy in many countries. Eating locusts are favored in many African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Locusts are often prepared by smoking, frying or drying them. Locusts yield about five times as much edible protein per unit of fodder [food] as cattle.
“Rabbi Ari Zivotofsky’s children have been busy in the kitchen.
On the menu… breaded locust, and chocolate-covered locust.
Mmmmmm.” (1)
“As with fish, there are no rules surrounding their [locusts] ritual slaughter, making them [locusts] a particularly versatile ingredient for culinary connoisseurs, like Chef Moshe Basson, founder and owner of the famous Eucalyptus restaurant in Jerusalem, and a specialist in reviving ancient Biblical foods.
For the uninitiated, he recommends serving them crunchy – an effect that is best achieved as follows:
Drop them into a boiling broth, clean them off, and roll in a mixture of flour, coriander seeds, garlic and chili powder. Then deep-fry them.
Pan-frying is another good option, and they are ‘crunchy, tasty and sweet’, says Basson, when mixed with caramel and sprinkled into meringue.” (2)
“Locusts that have feasted on sesame plants acquire an oily, shiny tinge, and are said to be particularly delicious.
So what do they taste like?
Something between chicken schnitzel, toasted sunflower seeds and prawns… so they say.
Basson is not the only one kept busy by the locusts.” (3)
‘“They’re more appetizing if you pull off the head, the short legs, and wings. The long legs are relatively plump, like chicken legs,’ said Basson.
Moshe Basson’s Crisp Grasshoppers [Recipe]
About 25 locusts
Have ready about 2 liters of vegetable stock with a little turmeric added to it.
Throw the locusts in the boiling stock, whole. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Drain the locusts and let them cool somewhat.
Twist off their heads: this will also pull out the black, threadlike [guts] viscera.
Remove the wings and small legs.
Make a seasoned flour with 4 tablespoons any flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, a little pepper and chili powder, a shake of ground coriander, and dried garlic granules.
Roll the precooked locusts in a beaten whole egg, then roll them in the seasoned flour. Shake excess flour off.
Fry in olive oil for 1 1/2-2 minutes, till color turns golden brown.
Alternately, use prepared “shnitzel” crumbs, or fry in tempura batter.
Serve with a lemony tahini sauce, or a za’atar pesto made more lemony than usual.
Crunch! Enjoy!” (4)
Many people have a hard time eating insects because of the way they were raised in their particular culture. We often fill our heads with things that are not true. But if God says something is proper to eat then it is good. God said that locusts are an acceptable food to eat.
But, since so many pesticides are being sprayed on locusts and other insects, we need to be carful not to eat too many locusts that have been sprayed with toxic chemicals.
HIBM Editorial by Avi Goldstein * Locusts Fast Food In Israel! – Dr. K. Daniel Fried, Editor in Chief – copyright © 2016 hopeofisrael.net
Short Link: http://wp.me/p35lgT-11M
Bibliography:
Eating locusts: The crunchy, kosher snack taking Israel by swarm!
(1) (2) (3) http://www.bbc.com
Feasting On Locusts!
(4) http://www.greenprophet.com
Pictures:
Locusts At Jewish Restaurant!
http://www.greenprophet.com
Locusts For Food!
https://en.wikipedia.org
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