Cicada Paste

Cicada Paste

　　Made primarily with cicadas and seasoned with roasted chili powder, wild Sichuan pepper, ginger, garlic, and coriander, this dish can only be prepared in early summer. When the first rains fall, cicadas often gather in shallow-water puddles at night. People take this opportunity to catch them, remove their wings and legs, steam and finely chop them, then mix with roasted chili powder, minced ginger, mashed garlic, wild Sichuan pepper, coriander, and an appropriate amount of seasoning. Though not particularly delicious, it is rich in nutrition and has a unique flavor. (Xishuangbanna)