Grasshoppers closely related to bush crickets is locally called Nsenene and a favorite snack among many Ugandans especially in the central regions of the country. These seasonal insects mostly show up during the two rainy seasons; in the months of April, May, June, October and November.
At the onset of the grasshopper season, grass hopper hunters erect light reflectors tilted towards a collection point while the the entire area is illuminated in very bright bulbs and light tubas to entrap the grasshoppers owing to their high affinity to light They are than gathered in sacks and transported to the markets for sale. The preparation is easy and straight forward, the limbs and for some the wings are pulled off and then either fried or boiled depending on preference and than sprinkled with onions, tomatoes and other ingredients of choice.
The grasshoppers can be eaten cold or warm and the new preservation methods mean that they can now be eaten all year long since one can pick them off supermarket shelves nowadays.
Comments