Cricket season

Fried crickets with lemongrass and lime. Photo by HH

Crickets are insects that live in the wild, making burrows underground. During the rainy season, they lay eggs and reproduce very quickly. Crickets feed on young grass, small roots, and tender plant parts, so they are considered clean insects.

For nearly a month now, continuous rain has flooded many areas in the alluvial plain of Ben Den village (Dien Quang commune). The floodwaters have left raised areas of land, which are ideal for crickets to dig burrows and live in.

Nguyen Dinh Trung, a professional cricket catcher from Ben Den village, recounts that his group of 4-5 people often go cricket hunting during this season. To catch crickets, they need to go early in the morning, when it's not raining, so they can clearly see the newly formed mounds of earth – which are also the newly constructed cricket burrows.

In recent years, crickets have been sought after by restaurants at a good price, around 2,000 VND per cricket, so during their free time between farming seasons, people take advantage of the opportunity to "hunt" for crickets.

Cricket pancake on a rainy day. Photo by HH

Many dishes are prepared from this insect. First, you need to know how to prepare it to remove the unpleasant odor.

Lemongrass and lime fried crickets are the quickest dish to prepare. Simply heat oil in a pan, crush shallots and sauté them with lemongrass, then add the crickets. Add a few spoonfuls of fish sauce and seasonings, sprinkle with chili powder, and a few lime leaves. After a few minutes, you'll have a delicious fried cricket dish perfect for a rainy day. Eating it with rice, the rich flavor of the crickets and the spicy kick of the lemongrass and chili will tantalize your taste buds.

Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) is a specialty dish deeply rooted in the culture of Quang Nam province. However, few people know how to make a truly special banh xeo.
After initial preparation, the crickets are marinated with spices. Rice flour, turmeric powder, chives, and a pinch of salt are mixed together and then thickened to a smooth batter. A pan of oil is heated, a few crickets are dropped in, and a thin layer of batter is spread evenly over them. A few bean sprouts are added, and after a short while, the lid is lifted, revealing a golden, crispy, and fragrant cricket pancake.

Along with cricket pancakes, cricket salad, and stir-fried crickets with salt and chili, crickets are among the favorite dishes of the people of Gò Nổi. Nowadays, dishes made from crickets have become specialties on the menus of many large restaurants. Crickets are no longer just a rural delicacy but have made their way to the city.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/mua-de-dong-3144361.html