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Seasonal Insect · Roasted

Inswa (Flying Termites)

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The classic way to catch flying termites is remarkably low-tech: hold out a basin of water and the insects, drawn to the light reflecting off it, fall straight in.

When the rains bring winged termites swarming out of their mounds, they're caught by hand — often over a dish of water — then roasted in their own fat or sun-dried into a crunchy, nutty snack. It's a short-lived seasonal treat eaten straight or stirred into relish.

Why it's made this way: Inswa emerge only briefly after heavy rains, so their appearance is treated as a small seasonal event across rural Northern Province, where catching and roasting them is a shared, celebrated activity.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3248 dishes from 118 countries. Something wrong here? Tell us in the comments below. Photo credits.