During his concert at Spark Arena, Mandopop superstar Wakin Emil Chau told fans his secret to maintaining strong vocal cords is eating snake gallbladders.
Eating snake gallbladders are believed to have many health benefits, including being anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory and also immune-modulating.
Snake gallbladders, as rightly said by Wakin Chau, are not available in New Zealand, but there are many other Asian foods that some may consider strange or exotic that are available here.
But the fact is, because some of these dishes are so commonly consumed, some of us will never think there’s anything weird about them.
Here are some of these dishes, and you can decide for yourselves if you’d be game enough to try them.
Duck's Head (Ya tou)
Duck's head s commonly eaten throughout China and is made by stir-frying a head of duck that is flavoured by herbs and spices.
It is crispy, and it is claimed to be healthy with some believing it can improve one’s brain power.
To eat, people would use their fingers to pry the duck head open to get the tender meat from the interior.
Kellie Schmitt of CNN described it as one of Shanghai's weirdest foods.
81st Floor Restaurant, Unit 7/270 Oteha Valley Road, Albany. Ph: 021 172 1865
Balut
Balut is a duck egg with a developing embryo, and is a popular Filipino delicacy that is also consumed in other parts of South East Asia including Vietnam.
You can find this served boiled or steamed, and eaten as is straight from the shell or with chilli sauce.
It is considered an aphrodisiac and is commonly paired with a cold beer on the side.
Here, it can be bought at the Avondale Sunday Market or Asian supermarkets such as Gai Lee in Otahuhu.
GAI LEE, 81 Atkinson Avenue, Ōtāhuhu. Ph: 09 276 2828
Century Egg
Century egg is made by preserving duck, quail or chicken egg in a mixture of clay, wood ash, salt and quicklime.
After a few weeks, the egg white turns gelatinous and black, and the yolk becomes murky grey.
Century egg is commonly eaten with rice congee, but some also eat it on its own with slices of pickled ginger or served as a cold dish with tofu.
They are rich in Vitamin B12, and some people believe eating them can prevent heart disease, improve skin, and strengthen nails.
You can find comforting, classic Cantonese congee with pork and century egg at this popular hidden spot in East Auckland.
知粥坊 Satisfying Food，7/16 Gooch Place, Somerville. Ph: 027 822 8333
Stinky Tofu
A popular street food from Taiwan and Hong Kong, the pungent smell of the stinky tofu is what hits you first, even before you see it.
Stinky tofu is made by fermenting the bean curd in brine with milk, vegetables, and sometimes fish.
They are eaten with chilli, onion, garlic, or soy sauce.
The taste, if you get past the smell, is not much different from normal tofu.
Some say eating stinky tofu is good for lowering cholesterol, and they are believed to be a good source of protein.
A place you can sample stinky tofu is Neighbour’s Cafe in Auckland.
NEIGHBOUR’S CAFE 芳鄰小館, 113 Meadowland Drive, Somerville. Ph: 09 533 0980
Bull penis soup
Some people believe consuming bull penis soup can enhance their sexual prowess.
Cooked with herbs and spices, the soup is flavourful and robust.
There are many variations to this dish, with the Malaysians calling it Sup Torpedo, Filipino’s have their Soup Number 5, and at the little Guang Zhou Soup Shop on Dominion Road, it is simply “Ox Penis Soup”.
GUANG ZHOU SOUP SHOP, 952 Dominion Road, Mount Roskill. Ph: 09 620 2625
