### A-ping
Cambodia — Flash-fried with garlic and sugar, these palm-sized tarantulas are a crispy, savory snack resembling soft-shell crab.
A-ping are palm-sized Thai zebra tarantulas. When fried, their legs snap and crunch like thick potato chips, while the head and body hide delicate, moist white meat that tastes just like a savory mix of sweet crab and chicken.
How It's Made
Whole tarantulas are marinated in a milky wash of salt, sugar, crushed garlic, and savory chicken powder. They are then flash-fried in bubbling hot oil for exactly one minute, a high-heat technique that crisps the outside while locking moisture inside.
The Story
A common myth claims that Cambodians only eat tarantulas because they are starving, but this is completely false. While foraging for spiders did become a critical way to survive widespread famine during the tragic Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s, the practice evolved. Once food became plentiful again, locals realized that fried tarantulas are genuinely delicious. Today, they are an economic boon for the town of Skuon, where people eat them joyfully by choice—proving that a masterclass in deep-frying can turn a historical survival food into a beloved modern delicacy.