Not Sure How To Cook Chapulines? Here Are 9 Mouthwatering Recipes You Need To Try
In life, we have been taught that insects are synonymous with dirt, to the point that we always jump in fear at the sight of these little bugs walking around the house. However, in the case of grasshoppers, or chapulines, their properties are part of a culinary tradition widely known in Mexico.
Chapulines are highly valued in insect cuisine due to their peculiar flavor, which many describe as a mixture of “Golden Grass, shrimp, and crackling.”
In Mexico, the tradition is an ancestral Mesoamerican heritage that has become a cultural feature for the natives and an experience for visitors.
An inexhaustible source of nutrients
Nowadays, grasshoppers are found in many places, and our culture has always known about their nutritional contributions.
Chapulines have a high protein content, even higher than meat, and their range of harmful fats is almost nonexistent.
In fact, specialists have found grasshoppers to be the perfect food to combat cardiovascular problems. They are a source of amino acids, vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and omega 3.
According to José Manuel Pino Moreno of UNAM’s Institute of Biology, if we compare the number of vitamins contained in traditional foods and insects, some species, such as chapulines, have higher proportions of vitamin A than liver and milk, for example.
But how to prepare chapulines?
These recipes from TikTok give us an idea. Heads up: the traditional way is with lemon and hot sauce.
Now, let’s take a look at a simple recipe. Using a traditional dough mashed with chipotle and refried beans, just add the chapulines and bake in the oven.
Tacos de chapulines? Sin miedo!
For cheese and gourmet food lovers, a chapulines fondue is perfect.
Or maybe a salsa macha de chapulines?
What about molotes? While the process might be a little more complicated, the results are simply delicious!
Do you dare to combine grasshoppers with more insects?
Although, you can also simply enjoy them as a snack!
