I ATE A RAT

THIS IS ONE BIG RAT

Fresh caught and grilled Rat from the rice field

Will this be to "take out " or to "eat here "

My surprise Rat Salad ( ha ha ha)

India tells people to eat rats: Courier Times

This is a good write up by a Canadian news paper
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2008/10/29/02756.html

Citizens in one of the poorest regions of India were advised by the government to start eating rats,according to a report thursday by the BBC. Vijay

One thing for sure , they don't have to advise, the Thai's to eat Rats they Love them, for a snack and it goes down great with a big glass of ice cold LEO.

Me

Ciejay and Me took a little mini vacation to Nakhon Sawan ,to visit our daughter and husband and grand-son Nicky Boy , they had just moved into their new home they had built , and would you believe it, as always , "THIS CALLS FOR A PARTY "and you all know , what would a good Thai party be without a whole lot of GOOD ,Thai food, and this was to be no exception , I have never seen so much food in all my life amd all the relatives and neighbors and anyone else that just happen to be passing by were invited. Well here I am in HOG HEAVEN, so to speak.

I am enjoying myself eating and realy enjoying as always all the fresh cooked food and fruit, when, I spy something at the other end of the table that looked like Taco Meat to me and thought I would try to make me a Taco Salad ,as they had a lot of chips and salsa ,add Taco Meat and walla you got yourself a Taco Salad, well I made the biggest one I could and begain to eat and enjoy and let my mind goooooo backkkkkk to Taco Bell in the USA , which just happens to be one of my favorite fast food hangouts (before Ciejay and healthy eating ).When all of a sudden I was snapped back to the present when someone ask me very loud "want so more RAT. To save face and to act like I knew it was RAT all along I said "SURE ", Everyone at the table started to laugh at the FARANG who had just eat a Rat and To be perfectly honest with you , with all the herbs and spices that they mix with the grilled and chopped up meat , it did taste a lot like Taco Meat. I have found that this kind of snack food that the Thai's make with lots of garlic ,herbs, and chili's ," IT ALL TASTE THE SAME" What do you think? Well I guess my next thing I'll have to try will be Grilled Snake, I think that will have to take place after a few ( a lot) glasses of wine have been enjoyed, to dull not only the taste buds , but also the senses. ha ha ha

Just in case you want to give it a try , I found this recipe on the net for all you chefs to try , and for the curious and adventurous too.

Recipe for ground rat meat and chili paste:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup fish oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups of dried red chili peppers
4 long green peppers
8 large bay leaves
1/2 cup holy basil leaf
1 tablespoon salt
4 chopped garlic cloves
4 small rats
Initial Preparation:
With a mortar and pestle place the 1-1/2 cups of dried red chili peppers, and begin to mash until a red paste is achieved. Add a tablespoon of water to make moist.
Chop garlic cloves.
Place bay leaves in a small bowl of water. Roll two bay leaves at a time and then thinly shred and place in dry dish. Do for all 8 leaves - two at a time.
Place holy basil leaves in a small bowl of water.
Dice long green peppers. Do small cross sections so look like wheels and place in dry dish.
Skin 4 small rats. Some folks save the heart and liver to add later (not me )

Cooking preparations:
Place oil in a wok over an open flame and heat
Place small rats in a grate, and lightly cook over an open flame on both sides until medium cooked. Do not cook well done.
Mix red chili paste with hot oil and stir well.
Finely chop rats on a wood chopping block over and over until makes a smooth ground meat texture. Be sure to chop all the bones well.
Add chopped rat meat to the red chili paste and oil and stir well.
Add diced green peppers and stir well. Let cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt.
Add holy basil leaves to mixture and stir in well and let cook for another 5 minutes. Be sure not to burn the chili paste - add a little water if necessary to keep moist but not runny.
Add chopped garlic cloves

Add chopped heart and live if you want
Add shredded bay leaves and stir in and cover and let simmer for 5 minutes or more to let all the flavors mix well.

Serving:
Serve ground rat meat on an oval dish with livers and heart on the top. Circle with garnish of basil leaves and halves of lime. Serve with white rice. The flavor will be hot and tangy with a mild crunchy chew to it. It is not to be considered the main dish, but a nice hot and spicy accent to other prepared dishes. Very good with cheese and crackers, but Thais do not generally eat crackers. This recipe would not go down well in your home town.

Theres one thing for sure , there will never be a shortage of good ,fat ,rats to eat here in Thailand and the neighboring Asain countries and rather than go hungry as some do "I'll eat RAT." Malcolm