Entomophagy Recipe Ideas

Cricket Patties

A dish for true gourmets!

• 20g crickets
• 1 dash of vegetable oil
• 2 chilli peppers or 1x pinch of hot chilli powder
• 1 pinch of Ras el Hanout (African spice mix)
• 4 tablespoons cumin
• 2 garlic cloves
• The juice from one lemon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 50ml water
• 50g flour
• 200g chickpea flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro (optional)

First, grind the ready to eat crickets into a powder. This is best done using a food processer. Then, mix the cricket powder with the lemon juice, chickpea flour, flour and baking soda. Then chop the chilli peppers and garlic and mix them with then ras el hanout, water, salt and pepper and knead well. Add water or flour as needed. Mix all the ingredients together, knead again and shape them into patties. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the patties until golden brown on both sides.

Freshly fried vegetables, fried crickets or grasshoppers make excellent side dishes for the cricket patties.

Asian-style Insect Stir-fry with Rice

Try one of these classic recipies!

• 400g rice (either jasmine rice or long grain rice)
• 100ml soup stock (of your choice)
• 40g insects (crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms)
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 fresh chive (stalks)
• 100g snow peas
• 250g chickpeas (either dried or canned)
• 1 teaspoon Asian spice mix
• Fresh cilantro (optional)

First, cook the rice in a pot of salted water. In the meantime, clean and finely chop the chives and snow peas. Wash the canned chickpeas in a colander, then drain. Dried chickpeas must first be soaked in water and then cooked until done. Then heat the oil in a pan, and add the chickpeas, chives and snow peas and sauté until hot. Add the insects, then deglaze with the soup stock and season to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Insect Bread

Full of nutrients and made without yeast, this bread is both healthy and delicious.

• 400g flour
• 200ml of water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ tsp sugar
• 5 tablespoons insects (crickets or grasshoppers)

First, mix the flour with the baking soda and salt in a bowl. Then, add the water and olive oil and knead for about 10 minutes to form a smooth dough. Fold in the insects. Grease a loaf tin with oil and pour the batter into the pan. Brush the dough with oil and sprinkle with spices or seeds to taste.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees (electric) for 35-40 minutes.

Insect Burger

A protein-rich, climate-friendly alternative to conventional beef burgers. Give them a try!

• 100g dried buffalo or mealworms
• 150g chickpeas
• 50g rolled oats
• 50g flour
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove

Toppings: Pickles, cucumbers, lettuce, sprouts, herbs and tomatoes (according to taste)

Sauce

• 50g vegan mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Burger & Sauce Instructions:

• First, chop or press the garlic in a garlic press. Purée the chickpeas and worms, preferably with a blender or food processer. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then add the rolled oats, flour, cumin and turmeric and season with salt and pepper. Form 2-4 patties from the dough (depending on how big you want them to be). Heat the oil in a pan and fry the patties until golden brown on both sides.
• For the sauce, add the mayonnaise, mustard, and maple syrup in a bowl and mix with a whisk. Preheat the oven. Halve the burger buns and toast them in the preheated oven for about 3 minutes. Spread the sauce on the inside of the buns and top as desired.
• Enjoy your meal!

Fried Grasshoppers

Enjoy as a delicious snack or serve at parties.

• 30g freeze-dried grasshoppers
• fresh chilli pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• The juice of a lime
• 1 pinch of sea salt

First, remove the wings and legs of the grasshoppers. Chop the chilli and garlic. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chilli and garlic and sauté until hot. Add the grasshoppers and sauté until they change colour (this means they are cooked through). Season to taste with salt and lime.

Sweet Banana Cakes

A great dessert or snack

• 2 bananas
• 3 tablespoons of crickets or grasshoppers
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 egg (alternatively, you can use egg substitute)
• 1 fresh chilli pepper or 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon curry
• vegetable oil for frying
• pinch of salt
• cilantro or parsley for garnishing (optional)

First peel the bananas, quarter them and fry them briefly in a pan with oil. Then, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix all the other ingredients together, add the bananas, separate into small portions and fry in hot oil. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley. Best served hot. Use maple syrup or agave syrup as a dip.