Tiny bugger
These tiny bugs, called gudjii [à¸à¸¸à¹Šà¸”จี่] up in Isaan are another unique snack. These bugs are actually members of the dung beetle family. In other words, they are bugs that live almost exclusively on animal poop. And many types don’t just eat the poop, but actually play with it by rolling it into little balls. I wonder if that’s what makes them so tasty?
I found these insects quite entertaining as we caught them. They fly really slowly towards the lights in the house, then get blinded and fall to the floor. Often times they land on their back where they have a seriously difficult time getting back on their feet. While they’re laying there we can just snatch them up and throw them in a little cup of water. They can’t climb up the smooth sides and the water doesn’t let them use their wings.
Once you have enough of them, just throw them in the wok for a quick stir fry, maybe add a few spices and some fish sauce, and there you go. They really do taste pretty good and you can just pop them in your mouth. I also find it interesting that I have never seen these for sale anywhere. I guess they’re just not as profitable as the maengdaa and mod daeng.
I also found a Thai site with a few more pictures and information on dung beetles: malaeng.com .
Tasty little critters
Stuck in the bowl
Ready to eat
