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2006.10.05

Comments

Phil

I like your sport eaters vs adventure eaters analogy.

Oddly, I tend to get more flak locally when I admit that I don't have a maid. In Cambodia, it's almost seen as your duty as a Westerner to hire one just so that you can remit some of your riches back to the countryside.

Robyn

Phil - Oh, I meant the reaction in the US. Asians don't bat an eye. I've just nipped back to the post and clarified. Say, do I have to pay you for editing services? ;-)

Phil

Yes. But I'm very cheap.

Kalyn

Very fascinating.

Also, I was amused because only this week I decided that if I'm going to keep blogging (I have a full time job besides) I have to hire someone to start cleaning my house. And I'm not the least bit embarassed, just sick of having a dirty house and no time to clean it. So I say, lucky you to have someone you trust and get along with.

Jennifer Jeffrey

I wish I had a "Wan" around my house...

Fascinating egg dish! I guess we're conditioned to like what we know. The picture of the eggs in her hand doesn't look very appetizing, but your description of the final dish actually sounds tasty.

Chubbypanda

Sweet... I've always wanted to try ant eggs. Given my location, it's far more likely I'll have to have them prepared in the Mexican manner, but the fish you decribe sounds nummy. I just need to take a few days off, Shangai one of my Spanish native-speaking friends, and make it to Chon in Mexico City one of these days. No... big... deal...

... *sigh*

- CP

Susan

Haven't commented very much lately but definitely still lurking. What a wonderful post - the real thing, told with authentic interest and spiced with great pictures and 'how to' info. Please keep it up, I love how I learn something completely new pretty much every time you post.

Hello to Wan!

RST

Would love to have Wan's recipe for dok khae flowers. We had an exchange on Sesbania flowers years ago on the old Chicago Chowhound Board:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/113768#618809

"Red ants eggs" (khae mod daeng) are available frozen (not canned) in the US.

Richard


alilay

hi, been a lurker for a long time, ant eggs is also a delicacy in the philippines particularly the ilocos region. haven't tried it yet though.

RST

Would the busy residents of cosmopolitan Kuala Lumpur ever have suspected that delicious khae mod or ki lek leaves could actually be foraged in their bustling city...heh heh...? This reminds me that even in Chicago, I see little old Mexican or Southeast Asian women (Hmong? Cambodian?) harvesting "weeds" growing on the cracks of concrete sidewalks. The whole topic of "urban foraging" is quite fascinating and would have made a wonderful subject for a paper on the theme of "Wild Food" which was the symposium theme of the Oxford Symposium on Food two years ago.

Alilay,
Do you know how the Ilokanos prepare ants eggs?

BTW, dok khae flowers = "katuray" in the Philippines.

Robyn

Thanks everyone, this post was fun to write so glad you enjoyed it.

Alilay - welcome! Knowing what food obsessives you Filipinos are, I'm glad you've finally commented. I too would love to know how Ilokanos prepare ant eggs.

RST, won't be able to post Wan's dok khae recipe till I can find some here. Keeping my eyes open.

Chubbypanda-would love to know how ant eggs are prepared in your neck of the woods. I really did like them ... but not the ants.

stefoodie

Hi Robyn, longtime lurker and first-time commenter here also. And curious about the Ilokano ants too! I hope Alilay will comment again. Growing up (in Mla) we had ants all over our mango tree, giant nests, etc. If I had known then what I know now....

E

Interesting post and great photos. I didn't know those kerangga eggs could be eaten not that i want to try myself. I don't fancy chewing crunchy red ants.
Interesting neighbourhood you live in. Not easy to find such a place with such natural surroundings in KL. good environment

jing

this ant egg dish...just one of the stuff i missed eating...

tawidnewsmag.com

My mother used to tell stories about ants eggs eaten as food in her hometown here in Ilokos, Philippines. I've never tasted them. Myabe the ants species have gone extinct here. When I go to Bangkok I'd definitely want to try this.

Jennifer Lenz

Thanks a bunch for this post! I live in the Rayong district and have been eyeballing a couple ant nests in my yard. Now I can try Wan's recipe :)

cooking.eating.carousing.

Robyn, I understand your hesitation in talking about "the maid", gassppppp.......

I am actually about to write a post about our live-in maid, who's been with our family in Indonesia for almost 20 years now, but I am still hesitating, contemplating, trying to find the correct words. But, this post definitely gave me a bit of courage and positive energy that I will be able to write a beautiful post about her.

Robyn

Hi, thanks for your comment. If you write with honesty I'm sure it will be great. I would probably not "explain myself" if I had to do this post over again. Yes, we have a maid. Yes, we treat her very well. Yes, she seems happy and yes, she is both a member of the family and an employee. We provide gainful employment under excellent conditions to someone who wanted it. Nothing to apologize for! (And yes, I don't vaccum or mop my own floors and I don't feel guilty about it!) ;)

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