Locusts boiled, baked or dried? Kuwait serves up a swarm

Some people like them baked, others prefer them dried. Locusts are surprisingly nutritious and considered a delicacy by many in Kuwait but not everyone is enamoured by the crunchy culinary offering.

"I love their flavour, it's one of my memories of childhood and reminds me of my grandparents and my father," enthused Moudi al-Miftah, a 64-year-old journalist who writes a weekly newspaper column.

Miftah awaits winter every year to stock up on locusts, which she cooks herself, with a preference for crispiness.

In her kitchen, she tipped a bag of the insects into boiling stock where they quickly turned red, filling her kitchen with an aroma similar to stewing mutton.

After simmering for half an hour, the locusts are ready to eat but they can be baked for added crunch, or dried so they can be enjoyed year-round.

But most of Miftah's loved ones stopped eating the bugs long ago.

Locust consumption is dwindling across Kuwaiti society, particularly among the younger generation, many of whom are disgusted by the prospect. Ali Saad, a man in his twenties who was shopping for groceries, was visibly repulsed by the idea of snacking on insects.

"I've never thought of eating locusts," he said. "Why would I eat an insect when we have all kinds of red and white meats?"