Chicatana Ant

Insects are a popular snack in several countries and according to the United Nations, Mexico has the world’s highest number of edible insects and most of them are caught wild such as the Chicatana Ant.

Chicatana is a giant flying ant that emerges once a year during the first major rain of the season when they are trying to escape their flooded nests to search for food.  In Oaxaca, Mexico, people of all ages collect them during this period to elaborate different dishes, specially “salsa de chicatana”, which is a smoky sauce ground in a “molcajete” with garlic, salt and chilies.

Chicatana ants are an important ingredient in the millenary gastronomy of the Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas regions, they are used as a main ingredient in sauces, cooked in a skillet and consumed as a snack or mixed with salts and spices to accompany Mezcal. The local indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero, have been collecting and consuming these insects since pre-Hispanic times, nowadays they are considered a delicacy item since their price is relatively high, they are hard to catch, very aggressive and found only once a year, but these insects are also nutritious, very tasty and a great source of sustainable protein.

Image credit: Posta

Chicatana ant is definitely something different to try and an opportunity to bring traditional Mexican elements to the table. In Osadia Concept Store you can find this giant winged ant mixed with sea salt, cardamom & chili peppers and enjoy it in fruits like pineapple or mango, in a ceviche or tuna steak or by itself accompanying a good Mezcal.

Find it HERE