''Beondegi'' (), literally "
pupa", is a Korean
insect-based street food made with
silkworm
The domestic silk moth (''Bombyx mori''), is an insect from the moth family Bombycidae. It is the closest relative of ''Bombyx mandarina'', the wild silk moth. The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of a silk moth. It is an economically imp ...
pupae.
The boiled or steamed snack food is served in paper cups with toothpick skewers.
Its aroma has been described as "nutty, shrimp-like, and a bit like canned corn" and the canned type smells very much "like tire rubber", while the texture is firm and chewy.
''Beondegi'' is also served in soup form as ''beondegi-tang''. This soup is flavoured with
soy sauce
Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''Asp ...
,
chili
Chili or chilli may refer to:
Food
* Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US
* Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...
,
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
,
green onions and red pepper powder. It is typically served as an
anju (food consumed with alcohol) at pubs.
Canned ''beondegi'' and ''beondegi-tang'' can also be found in
supermarkets
A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food, beverages and household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earlier grocery stores, but is smaller and more limit ...
and
convenience stores.
History
Although
sericulture in Korea dates back 4,000 years, consumption of silkworm pupae (a byproduct of this industry) is relatively recent. Beondegi has been eaten in silk farming villages since at least the 1920s. Widespread consumption began after the
Korean War, when the government heavily promoted the silk industry. Silkworm pupae were a
protein source during the poverty of the time.
Gallery
File:Ansan Street Arts Festival 2015 02.JPG, ''Beondegi'' sold by a street vendor
File:2017-04-06-Silkworm Pupa Food-0616.jpg, Canned ''beondegi''
References
Insects as food
Street food in South Korea
{{Korea-cuisine-stub
