“It’s Giving Fear Factor Vibes”: Man’s Plate Features Fried Rats at an African Event, SA Stunned

• A Lesotho man attending a cultural event showcased a unique plate of food that included crawling mammals
• The intriguing video shared on TikTok captured his humorous reaction upon confirming the unusual culinary items
• Social media users have responded with shock and a mix of awe and amusement at the adventurous eater
• Briefly News spoke with Masauso Banda, a Zambian national, about the viral video featuring a unique plate of African delicacies

A highly unusual dining experience at a formal event captivated a vast online audience, sparking an online debate.

The video, shared by @drndaba on TikTok, went viral, attracting millions of comments from social media users who were shocked.

Seated at a table with other attendees, the man's attention was drawn to two items on his plate that strongly resembled deep-fried small rats. Upon inquiry, his suspicions were confirmed; they were indeed rats. His meal also featured a range of other unconventional deep-fried items, including caterpillars, small fish, and an African polony.

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A cultural culinary adventure

Alongside these, his plate contained more common fare such as samp with peanuts, goat tripe, beef stew, some Zambian root vegetables, and raw fish. Before attempting to taste the rats, the man declared, "It's a cultural day," embracing the experience. He then took a bite of one of the rats, bursting into laughter and exclaiming, "Not it ain't it," suggesting the taste was not to his liking, despite his adventurous spirit.

African delicacies and their origin

We at Briefly News had the pleasure of speaking with Masauso, a Zambian national, to get his insights on the clip of a cultural meal featuring deep-fried mice, caterpillars, and African polony.

After a few people mentioned the meal originated from Zambia, we asked the man to give us a bit of information about the delicacies. He said:

"Yes, those are what we call field mice. They are indeed a delicacy, especially from the Eastern Province. The caterpillars are very common and highly prized. We mainly find those as a delicacy from the Northern Province of Zambia. They are often dried or deep-fried until they are nice and crispy, and are packed with high protein. People really enjoy these delicacies in our country."

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We asked for more information about the African polony. Masauso shared:

"The African polony is quite popular. It's a type of sausage, usually made from ground meat and spices. In Zambia, you'll find it widely, especially known from the Northern Province as well, often served with nshima (a thick porridge, a staple food in Zambia, made from finely ground maize flour and water."

When asked what he would say to viewers who expressed shock and said they would never try the unique items on the plate. Masauso responded:

"I'd say it's understandable if it's new to them. Our cuisine is diverse, and what's coming in one place might be surprising in another. But I encourage people to be open-minded and try new things, especially when it's part of another culture's heritage. You might be surprised."

Mzansi comments on the African cuisine

The man's video sparked widespread disbelief and lively banter among social media users. Many expressed that there wasn't a single item on the plate they would be willing to try, highlighting the vast differences in culinary preferences.

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Some applauded the man's bravery, expressing genuine shock that he dared taste the rats and stating they would never attempt such a feat themselves. Others humorously said that locals rarely travel outside the country, because they would struggle to cope with more exotic cuisines in other countries.

User @Jay said:

"This is why I always hate it when people say Africa, instead of naming that specific country because in SA you will never see this asidli magundwane (we don't eat rats)😭."

User @Lerato Mashigo commented:

"We don't eat rats in Lesotho😭 He's visiting Zambia, hleng!

User @Prince Khululekani added:

"It’s giving fear factor vibes 😹."

User @Lesedi White shared:

"The rat part is new 🤣. I’m Sotho, but never heard that it’s part of our tradition to eat rats."

User @jobela joked:

"Bafethu (guys), please help, which country or province is that so I make sure I don't accept invitations from there 🙏."

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User @Lebo🇿🇦 said:

"🤣 You look puzzled."

Watch the TikTok video below:

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Source: Briefly News