Wasp pupae are a famous ingredient in the Northwest, found in many deep forests in some provinces such as Lang Son, Dien Bien, Son La...

Mr. Nguyen Hai (in Dien Bien Dong, Dien Bien province) said that from August to October every year is the time when wasp pupae appear in large numbers and are of the best quality.

Depending on weather conditions and regional characteristics, the wasp pupa season can come earlier or later, lasting 2-3 months.

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Wasp pupae are considered a unique specialty in the Northwest. Photo: Quynh Mai
Finding and harvesting wasp pupae is quite difficult, so this specialty has a quite high price. Photo: Gia Nguyen

According to Mr. Hai, at the end of the year, near the Lunar New Year, wasp pupae are quite scarce, and the amount exploited is not much. However, at this time, the demand for buying from gourmets increases, so the locals do not hesitate to move deep into the forest to search for wasp pupae.

“Wolf wasp pupae are considered a nutritious food with a unique and delicious flavor, so the price is high. Therefore, although exploitation is difficult, people in the highlands still go into the forest to find beehives to harvest pupae for sale,” this person revealed.

During the season, wasp pupae are sold for between 250,000 and 350,000 VND/kg, but increase to several tens of thousands of VND when Tet comes. Even at this time, customers who pay high prices find it difficult to buy because "supply cannot meet demand".

Fried pupae with lemon leaves is a favorite dish of gourmets. Photo: Doan Ban

Mr. Hai said that wasp pupae can be processed into many dishes such as fried, steamed with whole nests, stir-fried with sour bamboo shoots, cooked into soup... but the most delicious and popular dish is wasp pupae fried with lemon leaves.

To make the dish delicious, people often choose young pupae (not too old or too young), milky, ivory white, about the size of a little finger.

When harvested, the pupae are still in the wax. People skillfully remove the pupae and dip them in hot water to firm the meat, avoiding bursting the pupae. Then rinse with diluted salt water to disinfect, remove the slime and then gently rinse with clean water.

Depending on each place and each family's preference, people can clean and roast the pupae immediately, keeping the heat at medium and stirring gently so that the pupae do not break but still retain their natural sweet, fatty flavor.

This dish is simple to prepare, does not require elaborate seasoning, just a little salt and chopped lemon leaves but is still attractive enough, becoming a favorite drinking dish of men.

Processing wasp pupae requires meticulousness to ensure that the natural shape and flavor are preserved. Photo: Bich Thuy

Mr. Hai added that in Dien Bien there is also a unique dish of wasp pupae mixed with black canarium.

After being cleaned, the bee pupae are steamed for about 5-7 minutes to ensure that their original shape, color and flavor are retained. Then, the pupae are soaked in black canarium fruit flesh and wrapped in sticky rice.

Because the bee pupae have been mashed, even those who are afraid of bee pupae can still enjoy this dish.

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Unique sticky rice dish with filling made from wasp pupae and Chinese jujube meat of Dien Bien people. Photo: Quynh Mai

Ms. Mai Phuong (in Hanoi) had the opportunity to enjoy the dish of bee pupae soaked in black canarium and wrapped in sticky rice of the Black Thai people in Dien Bien at the Hanoi Autumn Festival in 2023.

After tasting it, Ms. Phuong was impressed by the rich, fatty taste and aroma of bee pupae.

“When I got home, I searched online and found out that wasp pupae are a popular dish in the Northwest. Because I love this unique flavor, for the past 2 years, during pupae season, I have ordered 5-7kg at a time to freeze for later consumption or to give to my family.

About 1.5 months before Lunar New Year this year, I ordered again, but this time, ground bee pupae are rarer. Even though I accepted to pay a higher price of 450,000 VND/kg, I could only collect a few ounces, saving them to supplement nutrition for family members, to relieve indigestion, and to entertain distinguished guests during the New Year," Ms. Phuong said.

Although it is considered delicious, nutritious, and has some health benefits such as helping to overcome nervous breakdown and insomnia, not everyone dares to try dishes made from wasp pupae, especially those with allergies.

Therefore, diners should consider and only try a small amount of bee pupae the first time they experience it. If they do not experience symptoms such as rash, red face, dizziness, stomachache, or vomiting, they can continue eating.

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