Nutritional Value of Grasshoppers, Delicious Recipes and a Guide to Building a Breeding Shed
Grasshopper, also known as locust, green or brown grasshoppers are often seen in the countryside, this inconspicuous little creature is edible, and it is also rich in nutrients, let's take a look together at what nutritional value it has? How to cook it deliciously? How to build a breeding shed?
1. What nutritional value do grasshoppers have?
Grasshoppers are rich in chitin. Nutrition experts believe that chitin is hailed as the sixth major life element of the human body after protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Chitin can raise the pH value of body fluids, improve the acidic environment in the body, scavenge free radicals in the human body, inhibit the damage of peroxides to human tissue cells, activate cells, delay aging, and help eliminate toxins from the body, achieving the effect of detoxifying and beautifying the skin (in Japan, chitin is used as a preparation for sewage treatment). Therefore, chitin is recommended by nutrition experts as the last treasure of mankind in the 21st century.
Grasshoppers are low in fat and cholesterol, with a fat content of 5.25%. They mainly feed on grasses of the Poaceae family and do not eat other feed. According to reports, some patients with obesity, high blood pressure and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases now tend to eat insects, intending to achieve the purpose of losing weight and curing diseases. According to research by relevant experts, they are a relatively ideal space food for future humans and an ideal food for weight loss and fitness in modern society.
2. How to cook grasshoppers deliciously?
1. Crispy Fried Locusts
Ingredients: 20-30 locusts
Seasonings: salad oil, ginger slices, salt, cooking wine, watermelon, eggplant, tomato, orange, egg, flour
Method: (1) Carve shapes from watermelon and eggplant, slice the tomato and orange, spread the patterned paper flat, and arrange the base.
(2) Clean the locusts with warm salt water, take them out and drain the water, put them in a bowl, add ginger slices, salt and cooking wine, and marinate for 10-20 minutes.
(3) Mix flour and egg into a batter, coat the locusts with a layer of batter, and fry until yellow and crispy before eating.
(4) Plate the fried locusts, garnish and serve.
2. Flying Locusts Rising High
Ingredients: 60 locusts, 200 g shredded fish, 1 carrot
Seasonings: salad oil, ginger, salt, cooking wine, monosodium glutamate, custard powder, starch, sesame, green pepper, red pepper, scallion, celery leaves.
Method 1: (1) Carve a phoenix from the carrot, shred the scallion, and arrange the base. Cut out butterfly-shaped carrot slices, slice the green pepper and red pepper, and set aside.
(2) Clean the locusts with warm salt water, take them out and drain the water, put them in a bowl, add ginger slices, salt and cooking wine, and marinate for 10-20 minutes.
(3) Fry the shredded fish until golden brown, arrange it into a circle, and place it on the platter.
(4) Fry the marinated locusts thoroughly in warm oil, take them out, then fry them a second time in rolling oil until jujube red, so that they become crispy.
(5) Plate the fried locusts, add the cut butterfly-shaped carrot and sliced green pepper and red pepper, garnish with sesame and serve.
Method 2: Clean the locusts with concentrated salt water. Drain the water and fry them before eating. Or fry the locusts directly in oil, then dip them in pepper salt to eat; they taste as delicious as shrimp.
3. How to build a grasshopper breeding shed?
The grasshopper breeding shed should be built in a ventilated and sunny place. The ground of the shed should be about 10 cm higher than the surrounding ground to facilitate drainage. The soil is best as sandy loam to facilitate egg laying by the grasshoppers. On the ground of the breeding shed, plant monocotyledonous plants such as wheat or corn for the grasshoppers to eat. The building area should be determined according to the number of grasshoppers; every 10,000 grasshoppers require about 15 sq m. Use angle iron, wooden sticks, etc. to build the shed frame, then according to the size of the shed, make a shed cover with gauze netting, bury the bottom edge underground, leave a doorway, and install a zipper on the doorway to prevent the grasshoppers from escaping and to allow people to enter and exit the shed. The shed height should preferably be 1.5 m to 2 m. To keep warm and protect from rain, the outside of the shed can be covered with plastic sheeting.