Eating Bugs

Although our family is not yet brave enough to intentionally eat bugs like some people we know, it is something that is unavoidable (as much as we don't like it).  There are bugs that get into the flour, so we put it in the freezer.  There are worms in the dates, so we have to break them open and wipe out any little black eggs.  There are many other places that we find them lurking.  The other day when our house helper was asked ot make lunch, she began to make falafel with the chickpeas we had, which I noticed had lots of holes in them and little black specks in the middles.  I was in the other room doing school with the kids while Eliana watched her make the falafel.  Eliana knew as well as I did that the chickpeas were full of little beetles.  I was wondering what she would do when it came time to eat lunch knowing that they had been smashed up and made into delicious morsels on her plate.  we gave each of the kids a couple, and some ketchup to eat with them.  They all started commenting how yummy they were and how they tasted just like chicken nuggets.  Eliana ate hers slowly and cautiously, but she did say they tasted good.  At the end of the meal when we thought that no one else knew, Hali said in her most carefree way, "Those were really good, and they even had bugs in them."  So, I guess eating bugs wasn't so bad after all.  Maybe we'll have the courage to eat the crickets or grasshoppers like the Chadians someday.  

And now that I know how to make falafel myself, I thought I'd share:

Kebkebe  (Falafel - Chadian Style)

1.  Mash 2 cans of chickpeas with one small onion and a few cloves of garlic.  (We use a mortar and pestle type thing, but I suppose a food processor would work too.) 

2.  In the bowl, add 1 spoon of salt, 2 eggs and 3 spoons of flour.  Mix well (use your hands if you want to make them the African way.) 

3.  Heat a half inch of oil in a shallow frying pan on medium heat and drop round spoonfuls into the how oil.  Flatten a bit with a spatula and let cook till golden brown.  Flip and cook until the other side is golden.  Enjoy!