Ep 8. Rat Hearts and Porcupine Parts

In Bizarre Foods season 14 episode 8, host Andrew Zimmern travels to the northern region of Laos to explore the local cuisine. Laos is a landlocked country with a rich culinary history, influenced by its neighboring countries of Thailand, Vietnam, and China. The episode begins with Zimmern trying a traditional Lao breakfast of rice porridge with ginger and fried garlic, accompanied by steamed buns and spicy chili sauce.

Zimmern then embarks on a journey to explore the wild game that the region has to offer. He visits a local hunter who shows him how to trap rats and then proceeds to clean and cook them. Traditional Lao cuisine is known for utilizing every part of the animal, and Zimmern gets a taste of rat heart, liver, and intestines. He is hesitant at first, but he is pleasantly surprised by the flavors and the tender texture of the meats.

As Zimmern continues his exploration, he comes across a local market where he samples a variety of bizarre foods, including fried silkworms, fermented fish paste, and crispy grasshoppers. He also gets to witness the process of how rice whiskey is made, which involves fermenting rice in a large wooden barrel and distilling it using traditional methods.

Next, Zimmern joins a group of villagers who are hunting for porcupines in the dense jungle. Porcupines are a prized delicacy in Laos and are believed to have medicinal properties. After catching a porcupine, Zimmern learns how to prepare it for cooking, which involves removing the quills and skin. He then helps the villagers cook the porcupine over an open fire, using a blend of local spices and herbs.

Zimmern also tries some other unique dishes, such as ant egg soup, grilled water buffalo tendons, and a salad made from buffalo skin. One of the highlights of the episode is a visit to a local tofu shop where Zimmern sees how tofu is made from scratch using soybeans, and gets to try it in a variety of dishes.

Throughout the episode, Zimmern showcases the diverse and complex flavors of Lao cuisine, which is a fusion of traditional recipes and outside influences. He also highlights the importance of sustainable hunting and fishing practices, as many of the animals he tries are not commonly found in the wild due to over-hunting.

Overall, Rat Hearts and Porcupine Parts is an eye-opening episode that takes viewers on a culinary adventure through the northern region of Laos, and showcases the unique flavors and cultural significance of the country's cuisine.