Bangkok: "Nong Mek Village A unique chili paste recipe using crickets full of eggs is turning an oversupply crisis into a profitable business opportunity.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Dao Woralak, affectionately known as Auntie Dao, is a 53-year-old farmer from Nong Mek village in Sa Kaeo province. She faced declining cricket prices and a lack of customers, resulting in over 10 cricket ponds being left unused. In response, Auntie Dao devised an innovative solution by creating "Cricket Egg Chili Paste." Her method involves using large female crickets, 32-35 days old, when they are full of eggs. She fries these crickets until they are golden brown and crispy, then grinds them finely in a mortar. Shallots and garlic are saut©ed until crispy and fluffy, and then seasoned with tamarind paste, fish sauce, and chili powder. This mixture is combined with the ground crickets and stir-fried again until a thick, flavorful paste with chunks of cricket eggs is achieved. The chili paste is noted for its perfectly spicy taste, fragrant herbs, and the rich, savory flavor of cricket eggs.
Auntie Dao recalls the origins of the dish, stating that when business was slow and the crickets were fully grown, she experimented with frying them herself. She discovered that large crickets with egg-filled bellies were particularly delicious and decided to incorporate them into her favorite chili paste recipe. The result was a hit, and the chili paste quickly gained popularity among those who tried it.
What began as a homemade dish has now evolved into a successful OTOP (One Tambon One Product) product in Khok Sung District. The high-protein paste is attracting numerous online orders and is priced at only 50 baht per jar. Additionally, frozen crickets are available for 130 baht per kilogram, and fried crickets are sold at 300 baht per kilogram.