Grubs in Chinese food, anyone?

**Dr. Send** · 03-05-2007, 07:48 PM

So my girlfriend and I ordered chinese takeout last night, and as I was munching away on my delicious spicy beans she turned to me and asked, "do these look like worms to you?"

I kind of gave her plate a sideways glance and mumbled in agreement, but I didn't want to look too closely while I was still eating for fear of losing my apetite. When I was done, I took a closer look, and there were definitely a bunch of tiny grubs that had been cooked with the beans. All four people in the room at the time agreed that they were undeniably little bugs. They were about half an inch long, and they looked like the kind that have tiny legs all along the bottom, but the legs had been cooked off I guess, or something.

So the question is, are tiny grubs a common chinese food ingredient that I've never noticed before? Or should I be calling the health inspector? They didn't taste bad or anything; according to my girlfriend, who pointedly chewed a couple of them, they tasted like shrimp.

**Jack** · 03-05-2007, 11:54 PM

By grubs you mean maggots? Of the insect variety? Sounds like some fine dining for sure. I would consider that somewhat of an unexpected indescretion by the cook.
Waste not what you want not.

Find somewhere else to eat at. Who knows ,if this is true ,what else you night be eating without knowing.

**rideit** · 03-06-2007, 12:21 AM

If it was tasty, and didn't affect you in terms of health, why would you not order again?
I only ask this as a 'devil's advocate' question...lots of things are seasoned, and cooked properly, all over the world, that make westerners (northerners?) queasy...

Maybe you are the Alpha/Beta tester of the next exotic cuisine trend!!

(Or, you are eating spare maggots from the animal control depot next door...I couldn't possibly know without more details...)

That all being said, you most likely were eating reconstituted brine shrimp, which is a common staple in Thai and rural Chinese cuisine. They look EXACTLY like what you describe, and are basically 'sea monkeys', freeze dried, and re-hydrated. Go to your local asian market, and compare. You will most likely find something in a bag that matches your description precisely.

**RootSkier** · 03-06-2007, 01:37 AM

Mmmmm....sea monkeys.

**Dr. Send** · 03-06-2007, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

That all being said, you most likely were eating reconstituted brine shrimp, which is a common staple in Thai and rural Chinese cuisine. They look EXACTLY like what you describe, and are basically 'sea monkeys', freeze dried, and re-hydrated. Go to your local asian market, and compare. You will most likely find something in a bag that matches your description precisely.

Ah, that's the kind of info I was looking for.

I'm still never eating there again though, cuz bugs and things that are indistinguishable from bugs are gross.