Solar Energy News  
FARM NEWS
Japan insect enthusiast puts cricket ramen on the menu
By Harumi OZAWA
Tokyo (AFP) May 25, 2020

In a steamy Tokyo kitchen, a roasted scent wafts through the air as Yuta Shinohara prepares soup stock for ramen, derived not from pork or chicken, but crickets.

"In this pan, we have 10,000 crickets, making stock for 100 bowls," Shinohara explained, as he stirred a large silver pot.

The bowls of ramen produced by Shinohara and his team look and smell like those at restaurants across Japan: fine white noodles sit in a savoury soup, topped with a juicy slice of pork and fat pieces of pickled bamboo shoots.

There's little to give away the fact that 26-year-old Shinohara uses crickets in the broth, oil, soy sauce and even noodles. Except, that is, for the deep-fried insect perched next to a mitsuba leaf garnish on the soup's surface.

Shinohara isn't a professional chef, in fact his preferred description of himself is "earth boy." And it's his love of all things nature-related that led to him insect-based food.

"I want to introduce the joy of insect eating, so that insects will be respected equally to animals and plants," he told AFP.

Shinohara's love affair with insects began as a child, when he spent most of his time in fields and bushes, catching grasshoppers and cicadas.

He was so fascinated by creepy-crawlies that he eventually even tasted them -- but only secretly.

"I couldn't tell anyone that I love insects or I eat insects until I was about 20 years old," he says shyly. "I was afraid of becoming the odd one out or being bullied for it."

- 'Like a delicate sweet' -

Humans have been eating insects for thousands of years and they remain a common food in many countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania.

But for many in the West and elsewhere, a cultural bias against insects as food remains strong.

Environmental and agriculture experts have been trying to break down those barriers, promoting insects as an environmentally friendly rich source of minerals and protein.

But while Shinohara is a strong proponent of eating insects, he dislikes the idea of bugs as a "last resort" food.

He sees them instead as a delicacy that should be savoured.

Take phalera flavescens, for example. The moth's white-tufted caterpillar is regarded as a nuisance in Japan because of its penchant for cherry blossom trees.

Shinohara however views the caterpillars as a treat.

"They are really delicious. They taste like a delicate Japanese sweet," he said.

"The caterpillar only eats the leaves of cherry trees, so they carry the scent."

He is similarly fond of other caterpillars, including some that he says have a citrus flavour from their preferred trees.

"Behind the flavour, you can imagine how the caterpillar savoured its life. That is so amazing."

- Cricket beer, silkworm tea -

Shinohara and his team had planned to open an insect cuisine restaurant named Antcicada in downtown Tokyo in April, but were forced to put it on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, they have designed a pack of cricket ramen that can be cooked at home, and have sold 600 sets online as of mid-May.

"Thankfully, the latest batch sold out in three hours or so," Shinohara said.

His team is also experimenting with a variety of other dishes including an insect-based version of a popular Japanese side dish called tsukudani, usually made from seafood, meat or seaweed simmered in soy sauce.

Ayumu Yamaguchi, the team's fermentation specialist, is overseeing the dish's development.

"We have tried different combinations of flavours to cook with these insects," the 24-year-old said.

"We found pistachio and cardamom go very well with silkworm cocoons."

Kazuhiko Horiguchi, who ordered a ramen pack complete with whole fried cricket, told AFP he was pleasantly surprised by the experience.

"It was a very unique flavour, the kind I like. I was very impressed," he said.

"I think many people can eat insects as food once they are cooked and served in dishes, even though they don't want to see the insects in their original forms," he said.

"Cricket ramen could be a starter for insect cuisine for many people."

Shinohara has high hopes for a range of additional insect-based products, including beer made from crickets and a tea made from silkworm excrement.

"I see so much potential."


Related Links
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


FARM NEWS
Lockdown gives Albanian beekeepers a 'golden year'
Korce, Albania (AFP) May 22, 2020
With factories and farms silenced by the coronavirus shutdown, Albania's bees have been busier than ever, stirring excitement among farmers expecting an unparalleled honey harvest thanks to a respite from pollution and pesticides. "It's a golden year for bees," says 68-year-old Gezim Skermo, dressed in a protective suit as he inspects his rows of wooden hives, lined up along the verdant base of Morava mountain in southeast Albania. The bucolic bee farm, home to some 300 colourfully-painted hive ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FARM NEWS
Chemical recycling makes useful product from waste bioplastic

Researchers turn algae leftovers into renewable products with flare

Can renewable energy really replace fossil fuels?

Solve invasive seaweed problem by turning it into biofuels and fertilisers

FARM NEWS
Robot dog on virus park patrol in Singapore

Next generation of soft robots inspired by a children's toy

A soft touch for robotic hardware

E-commerce startup banks on robotics, AI to win consumers

FARM NEWS
US wind plants show relatively low levels of performance decline as they age

Wave, wind and PV: The world's first floating Ocean Hybrid Platform

Supercomputing future wind power rise

Wind energy expansion would have $27 billion economic impact

FARM NEWS
Uber says slashing jobs and trimming investment

Tesla, California appear to end standoff over restarting factory

Uber to require face masks for drivers, riders

China car sales begin recovery after virus plunge

FARM NEWS
Skoltech scientists show a promising solid electrolyte is 'hydrophobic'

Electrons break rotational symmetry in exotic low-temp superconductor

Discovery about the edge of fusion plasma could help realize fusion power

Surrey unveils fast-charging super-capacitor technology

FARM NEWS
US awards two projects utilizing the BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor Design

Study reveals single-step strategy for recycling used nuclear fuel

Framatome and the Technical University of Munich to develop new fuel for research reactor

Are salt deposits a solution for nuclear waste disposal?

FARM NEWS
Global CO2 emissions to drop 4-7% in 2020, but will it matter

New map highlights China's export-driven CO2 emissions

COVID-19 to cause record emissions fall in 2020: IEA

Europe's banks not doing enough on climate: pressure group

FARM NEWS
Tropical forests can handle the heat, up to a point

Uruguay renegotiates $3 bn pulp plant deal with Finland's UPM

With attention on virus, Amazon deforestation surges

Brazil to deploy army to fight Amazon deforestation









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.