This ancient, tasty Mexican snack could be the future of food
The dish: Chapulines, Mexico
Plate up What is the next big thing in food? What is the future of cuisine? What will we all be eating in 10 years' time that might come as a surprise? For the answer to the future, perhaps we need to look to the past. Because one of the experts' touted sources of sustainable future nourishment in Australia is insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, which the CSIRO predicts could be a $4 billion industry in Australia by 2030.
That's not exactly futuristic though, because in countries such as Mexico (as well as parts of Africa and South-East Asia), these insects have been consumed as tasty snacks for centuries. In the Mexican state of Oaxaca, chapulines are a staple dish, small grasshoppers and crickets that are toasted on a comal – a traditional, clay frying pan – until crispy, and then seasoned with lime juice, garlic, chilli and salt. Chapulines can also be found as toppings for tlayudas (large, open tortillas), or even served on eggs. And trust us, if this is the future of sustainably raised protein, we're in for a good time, because in Mexico they're delicious.
First serve There's evidence that inhabitants of what is now Mexico have been consuming chapulines since pre-Columbian times, hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago. For ancient Mexican peoples these insects were important sources of protein, and sat alongside the likes of chicatana ants and escamoles – ant roe – as standard, seasonal cuisine. Chapulines could be cooked, seasoned and dried, and thus preserved for tougher times.
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Order there You'll find chapulines served at streetside stands and in markets across the state of Oaxaca. In Oaxaca City, one of the legends is Chapulines Dona Chencha, a stall in the Central de Abastos market.
Order here This might be the food of the future, but right now it's very hard to find chapulines on a restaurant menu in Australia. Your best bet is to source your own crickets via Circle Harvest and then fry them up. See circleharvest.com.au
One more thing Australia has approved only three insects for human consumption: super mealworms, house crickets and mealworm beetles. There are, however, more than 60 insect species that have been consumed for millennia by First Nations peoples.
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