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Arabia

The plague of Yemen

2014-01-05

[Yemen Post] As political instability and insecurity continue to spread across the impoverished nation of Yemen, its people face even worse plagues, just as dangerous and deadly than the dangers of war.

With politicians warning of an impending doom should President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi fail to unite Yemen's factions and tribes as well as reign down on dissidence, other calamities have befallen Yemen, risking too, to tear at the fabric of society on a much deeper level.

The poorest nation of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen stands to starve as a result of an infestation of desert locusts. As explained by agricultural officials, "Unusually heavy rainfall during the past several months has created perfect breeding conditions for the insects." Although the state set in place several preventive measures, desert locusts have already devoured vast tracts of crops, putting a severe strain on Yemen's agricultural sector.

The locust is the only insect listed as kosher in the Hebrew bible for exactly this reason. Perhaps Allah ought to do the same.

Bearing in mind that about 75% of Yemen's population relies on agriculture for a living, and that over 40% of Yemenis have been classified by WFP (World Food Program) as at food risk, locusts represent a calamity the country will not be able to withstand alone.
Maybe they should consider putting a little lamb's blood on their lintels?

Or at least start serving grilled locust on a stick with a savoury dipping sauce.

As things stand at present Yemeni farmers could lo lose the entirety of their harvest, a loss in revenues and food stock which will be felt nationwide as food prices will shoot up and entire communities will be further pushed into poverty.

Yemen's last locust infestation took place in 2007 after heavy rainfalls.

Posted by:Fred

#7 Maybe they should consider putting a little lamb's blood on their lintels?

That's Snark-of-the-Day in my book!

Posted by: SteveS 2014-01-05 23:16

#6 Have they looked around for a guy named Moses? He might know what they should do.

Posted by: Barbara 2014-01-05 21:01

#5 Crunchy Locust Recipe

2 liters of veg stock with a dash of tumeric

25 locusts thrown into the boiling stock, whole. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Drain the locusts and let them cool to warm.

Twist off their heads: this will also pull out the black, threadlike viscera.

Remove the wings and small legs.

Make a seasoned flour with 4 tablespoons any flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, a little pepper and chili powder, a shake of ground coriander, and dried garlic.

Roll the precooked locusts in a beaten whole egg, then roll them in the seasoned flour. Shake excess flour off.

Fry in olive oil for 1 1/2-2 minutes, till color turns golden brown.

Serve with a lemony tahini sauce, or a lemony zaatar pesto.

[I bit this from ME cooking site]

Crunch! Enjoy!

Posted by: mossomo 2014-01-05 18:44

#4 "crunches like cockroach"

Seriously, though, there's a mass venue where these things would fit right in. Wing chains. Lord in a gourd... the ads and menus would write themselves. It's time. Generation PJ grew up on Fear Factor and whatnot, right? On NPR yesterday I heard a dude that PJ would call a sissy waxing poetic about hog rectum calamari. I'm talking Obama's speechwriter meets Barry White. The kids can handle it. Bring on the bugs.

Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 2014-01-05 13:41

#3 "jumps like frog"

Posted by: Grunter 2014-01-05 12:47

#2 "tastes like chicken"

Posted by: Frank G 2014-01-05 07:51

#1 Or at least start serving grilled locust on a stick with a savoury dipping sauce.

I'm thinking deep-fat fried, with a corn meal coating.

Posted by: Shipman 2014-01-05 05:32

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