Yes, Cicadas Are Edible And You Can Eat Them Popcorn Fried

Brood X cicadas have come out to play, and they’re the surprisingly delicious snack that you’ve never heard of. If you haven’t tried fried edible insects, you’re missing out. Bugs are a sustainable source of protein, and cicadas are eaten regularly by many cultures.

According to experts, younger cicadas are tastier than adult ones. In their nymph stage, they look light brown and have just emerged from the grown. They’re also desirable in a whitish teneral stage. This is where they shed their casing and are close to unfurling wings and growing into adults. This recipe can be used with both nymphs and tenerals.

If you’re picking your own cicadas, look for them in the evening. Place them in a lidded container and put the container in a freezer overnight. When you’re ready to prep them, rinse them thoroughly in order to remove dirt.

Cicadas are often compared to shrimp in terms of their DNA and size, but the flavor is very different. In fact, cicadas are a lot milder than shrimp and instead just take on the taste of any spices you cook them with. In the following recipe, home cooks will marinate their cicadas in Worcestershire and a blend of cayenne, garlic, onion and paprika folded into the batter to make for a crispy burst of flavor.

Don’t save these for later — they’ve best served freshly fried and eaten immediately. You can serve them on their own as a side or appetizer, but they can also be eaten on top of a green salad for some additional crunch. If you’re allergic to soy, nuts, shellfish or other insects, talk to your doctor before consuming.

For the ingredients, you’ll need:

• 12 cicadas

• 1/4 cup flour

• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1.4 teaspoon paprika

• 1 egg

• Oil

Spice mix

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt preferable)

Fried Cicada Recipe

1. Place cicadas in an airtight container and freeze overnight
2. Rinse frozen cicadas and move them to a bowl. Then, cover them in Worcestershire sauce and stir. Put a lid on the bowl and refrigerate for an hour, letting them marinate.
3. Remove cicadas from sauce and transfer to a towel-lined plate, allowing them to dry.
4. Get two bowls. In one, whisk flour, other powder-based ingredients and salt. In the other, whisk the egg. Now, take the cicadas one by one and dip them into the egg. Afterward, coat it in the flour mixture and move it to a plate. Do this until all the insects are coated.
5. In a small pan, add a thick layer of oil — more than a cup. It should go approximately 1.5 inches up to the side of the pan. Heat on a medium-high flame until it’s 350 degrees. Use an instant-read thermometer to test this.
6. Mix the ingredients for the spice mix and keep it separate in a small bowl.
7. Fry the insects in batches of six until the exterior is crisped and golden. After they float to the surface of the pain, stir carefully with a slotted spoon to avoid burning and help the cicadas brown more evenly. It should take about 2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a wire wrap or paper towel-lined plate.
9. Sprinkle hot cicadas with spice mixture when they come out of the oil. Transfer to a bowl or plate and serve.