Eat insects, save the world - Locusts @ Highway 4

Locusts are pests that harm crops. A restaurant in Vietnam, Highway 4, has gotten it right by putting them on the restaurant's menu and serving them, roasted, to patrons.

Crunchy roasted locusts.

Locusts are really grasshoppers that have decided to misbehave. They become destructive by congregating into migratory, voracious, ravenous swarms with out-of-control breeding, while feeding on our crops. These invertebrates are grasshoppers mobbed together, and morphed into locusts. Even among insects, mob mentality is as dangerous as shoppers on boxing day.

Woman removing the thorny legs from locusts in Hanoi's wet market.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization runs a comprehensive Locust Watch site to give updates of the whereabouts of locust swarms. Losses in agriculture caused by locust plagues can amount to billions per year if left uncontrolled. Which is why we should nom down hard on locusts - as their population needs to be controlled.

Locusts in Hanoi, Vietnam

As with most insects, a locust not contaminated with pesticide is high in protein, and low in fat. There are also adequate amounts of iodine, phosphorus, ion, thiamin, calcium, magnesium and selenium.

Getting ready to eat my roasted locusts.

These crunchy, delectable insects are roasted with lemon leaves, onions, pork lard and served with vietnamese dipping sauce. Making every bite and crunch a memorable experience . And not forgetting all those times they stole my food and gave me sores. (Price : 65k Dong / USD 3.10 / RM 10).