5 bushtucker delicacies every I'm a Celebrity fan should try
Ignore those squirming contestants - bushtucker is haute cuisine in Australia
Hungry? Probably not if you've been watching squawking celebrities retch their way through the latest bushtucker trial on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
But away from the celebrity jungle, bushtucker (which just means the food eaten by indigenous Australians) has become a bit of a delicacy. Foodie travellers can sample Aboriginal flavours on guided tours, while in Sydney and Melbourne, high-end chefs dish up emu meatballs and crocodile tail fillet for discerning diners.
Join them and order these next time you're Down Under...
Kangaroo
It wasn't just the Aborigines who were partial to kangaroo meat; British settlers likened its ruby flesh and gamy flavour to venison or hare, while Bush housewives would cook up a hearty soup from the tail.
Aussies started turning up their nose at "roo" in the 20th century, but it came back into fashion in the 90s. It's particularly popular with health-conscious diners because it's low in fat and high in protein.
Look out for kangaroo burgers, stirfrys and pulled roo shoulder sandwiches. Unlike in the I'm a Celebrity jungle, you're unlikely to find testicles on the menu.
Wallaby
Wallabies look like kangaroos and so unsurprisingly they taste like them, although a little milder. They're also very lean so don't need long on the barbie. In fact, wallaby is best eaten raw as a tartare or carpaccio.
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Emu
Like kangaroos, emus have pride of place on Australia's national coat of arms. And like kangaroos, these tall, flightless birds are lean, gamy and really rather delicious. Think lean beef but lower in cholesterol, fat and calories –and higher in iron, vitamin c and protein.
It's usually roasted or grilled but hipster restaurants prefer to serve it smoked or cured.
Crocodile
Crocodile Dundee missed a trick. The humble croc doesn't just make excellent handbags and belts; it's a fine alternative to lean pork or chicken. Australians like to eat it with sliced mango and basil sauce.
Alternatively, if you can't wait for your next trip Down Under, head to Dilshad restaurant in Cannock in Staffordshire and order a dish called Crocodile Inferno. The owners claim it's the world's hottest curry. Punters even have to sign a disclaimer before braving it.
Wichetty grub
Yes, like those squawking I'm a Celebrity contestants, indigenous Australians really did nibble on grubs. The small, white larvae of the ghost moth are native to Australia. So why pop them in your mouth? Because they make for highly nutritious snack, full of vitamins and nutrients.
RadioTimes.com hasn't had the pleasure but some say they taste like a cross between chicken and prawns; others compare them to scrambled egg.
Eat them like the Aborigines: live and raw.
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I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! continues on weekdays at 9pm on ITV
