Rat-on-a-stick, also referred to as rat kebab, is a dish or snack consisting of a roasted

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' ( pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...

served on a stick or

skewer A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roastin ...

. The dish is consumed in Thailand and Vietnam. Prior to roasting, the rat is typically skinned and washed, after which it is gutted to remove its internal organs and then roasted.

By country

Rat meat Rat meat is the meat of various species of rat: medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. It is a food that, while taboo in some cultures, is a dietary staple in others. Taboos include fears of disease or religious prohibition, but in many places, the ...

is considered by some people in South Vietnam, east and northeast India and Thailand to be a delicacy, and in recent times, its popularity has increased in both countries. It is also served as a street food in these countries. Rat kebab became so popular it also started to appear in a number of elegant restaurants. Rat kebab is also a dish in some

Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...

recipes.

Source of rats

According to a BBC report, the rats are wild, and caught by professionals using traps.

In popular culture

Rat-on-a-stick has been consumed by contestants on the U.S. reality television show ''

Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: Actual survivors * *Last survivors of historical events Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Found ...

''. On 14 March 2019, Vietnamese rat meat has been featured on

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...

Notes

References

External links

Street Eats, Cambodia: Mangosteen or Rat on a Stick?
Thefriendlygiraffe.com Mice and rats in popular culture Meat dishes {{Food-stub