12. Kocho
Kocho is a traditional flatbread from Ethiopia. Flatbread may not sound too strange but the way that Ethiopians prepare it is truly amazing. Fermentation is the key to a delicious kocho. Kocho is made from Enset pulp that has been buried underground and covered with leaves for a couple of months to as long as a couple of years. Like most things fermented, the longer it is fermented, the more delicious it gets. Once ripe for harvesting, it is turned into a dough and baked on a griddle or for better flavor, wrapped in leaves and baked in an oven pit.
Photo: Twitter
13. Hongeo
Hongeo, or fermented skate, is an expensive treat in Korea. Skate is a type of fish with no bladder or kidneys to produce urine. To excrete waste, it produces uric acid which seeps out of its skin. If that’s not enough to turn your nose away from it, it is fermented until it reeks of ammonia, giving it a distinct aroma that is highly similar to a bathroom cleaner. It is definitely an acquired taste, but for fans, there’s nothing else on earth quite like it.
Photo: Lovely Day with Michael Hughes
