Chadians Get Fangs Into 'Vampire'

BBC ^ | Monday, 1 June 2009 | Celeste Hicks

[nickcarraway]

Hungry people in the central African nation of Chad have raised an old culinary fad from the dead - to get their fangs stuck into fried blood.

"Vampire", as it is jokingly dubbed, is a traditional dish making a comeback amid a global surge in food prices that has left meat too expensive for many.

Meat is often eaten only on special occasions such as religious holidays.

Nutritionists say "vampire" is actually an excellent alternative to goat and sheep, especially for children.

"I make it with peppers, salt, onions, spicy sauce and maggi [stock cubes]. I fry it all up like that; it's good," said Modestine Danbe, who lives in the N'Djamena.

Ms Danbe is one of many women in the city's Walia neighbourhood, close to the Cameroonian border, who has taken to frying up huge vats of blood and selling it to her neighbours on the streets.

She buys buckets of fresh blood from the abattoir near her home for about $1 (£0.61), which makes about 40 plates of "vampire".

Each plate sells for about $0.2 (£0.1), so after the costs of the other ingredients her profit is about $7 (£4.3).

"It's actually an excellent source of nutrients, especially for children," said Robert Johnston, a nutritional specialist for Unicef in Chad.

"Blood pudding and liver have been used in other countries to promote high-protein intake for families who don't have daily access to meat."

Making a killing

Meat-based products make up a large part of the average Chadian diet.

SNIP

Vampire is making a killing in Walia's ubiquitous bili bili (local millet brew) bars, where liquid diets require some supplements.

"The taste is good, a bit like liver. I really like it," said James, a Saturday-morning drinker.

[nickcarraway]

Ping

[silverleaf]

I ate fried pig blood in Guam once- before I knew what it was. Pretty tasty

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Any evidence of the eating of “Long Pig?”

[JimSEA]

To my knowledge, blood pudding, in addition to being a dish served in America, is eaten in one form or another in England, Ireland, Vietnam, China and Thailand. Now, “we are all vampires!”. ;>

[Slings and Arrows]

At least it doesn't sparkle in sunlight.

[robomatik]

i love blood too. especially when my heart is able to circulate it throughout my body! :^)

[LibertyRocks]

My hubby has always loved Czernina (Polish Duck-Blood Soup), and Kishka (”Blood Sausage” not the Kosher version, the Polish version).

However, unless one owns a farm, or has an unusually good personal relationship with a butcher they are a little hard to make as it’s not legal (to my knowledge) to buy a couple pints of fresh Duck’s Blood, nor fresh Pig’s Blood! And, as much as I love my husband, I’m not into butchering a hog, nor plucking a duck (unless I HAD to...).

I couldn’t stand either when I tried them — the soup I just couldn’t even think about eating. The Kishka though just tasted like “spicy liver sausage”! Didn’t much like it though... I think it’s something you have to get used to when you’re a kid or something...

However, I must admit that I NEVER got used to “liver ‘n onions” when I was a kid! I must’ve used half of a bottle of ketchup when we had that for dinner on occasion...