Rat-on-a-stick, also referred to as rat kebab, is a dish or snack consisting of a roasted

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...

served on a stick or

skewer A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roasting ...

. The dish is consumed in Thailand and Vietnam. Prior to roasting, the rat is typically skinned and washed, after which it is gutted to remove its internal organs and then roasted.

By country

Rat meat is considered by some people in South Vietnam, East and Northeast India, and Thailand to be a

delicacy A delicacy is a rare food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture or region. A delicacy may have an unusual flavor or be expensive compared to everyday foods. Delicacies va ...

. In recent times, its popularity has increased in both countries. It is also served as a

street food Street food is food sold by a Hawker (trade), hawker or vendor on a street or at another public place, such as a market, fair, or park. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...

in these countries. Rat kebab became so popular it also started to appear in a number of elegant restaurants. Rat kebab is also a dish in some

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

recipes.

Source of rats

According to a BBC report, the rats are wild, and caught by professionals using traps.

In popular culture

Rat-on-a-stick has been consumed by contestants on the U.S. reality television show ''

Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...

''. On 14 March 2019, Vietnamese rat meat has been featured on

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

. In the movie '' Demolition Man'',

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...

's character inadvertently orders a hamburger made of rat meat.

Notes

References

External links

Street Eats, Cambodia: Mangosteen or Rat on a Stick?
Thefriendlygiraffe.com Mice and rats in popular culture Meat dishes Thai cuisine Vietnamese cuisine {{Food-stub