Tiger penis
In traditional Chinese medicine, a tiger penis (Chinese: 虎鞭) is said to have important therapeutic properties. However, modern science does not support the belief that these dishes possess any special potency. Furthermore, the demand of tiger parts exacerbates the the endangered status of the tiger by providing a market for poachers. While it is consumed in parts of China and Southeast Asia, particularly Laos and Cambodia, its preparation is generally condemned by modern nations.
Cuisine
The penis of a tiger, deer, turtle or bull is consumed in restaurants in parts of China and southeast Asia and is commonly offered as a soup delicacy.[1] People have been known to spend up to $5700 (£3000) on a particularly rare tiger penis dish, something that needed to be ordered months in advance.[2] A dried tiger penis is more commonly sold at around $2500 (£1300) in Singapore and Taiwan.[3] The penis can be taken in soup, ground in wine (tiger penis wine), or soaked in rice. One method of preparation, particularly in the Mekong River Delta, is to place a dried tiger penis, with testicles still attached, into a bottle of French cognac or Chinese wine and let it soak for many weeks.[3] Then, as it matures, the preparer takes sips of the liquor every night.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Meacham, Cory J (1997). How the tiger lost its stripes: an exploration into the endangerment of a species. Harcourt Brace. p. 145. ISBN 0151002797.
- ^ Harding, Andrew (September 23, 2006). "Beijing's penis emporium". BBC. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
- ^ a b c Ellis, Richard (2005). Tiger bone & rhino horn: the destruction of wildlife for traditional Chinese medicine. Island Press. p. 159. ISBN 1559635320.
External links
- Photograph - Tiger penis whiskey, Laos