'Your face is getting red': Ghib Ojisan eggs tourists on to try 'bizarre' CNY goodies for the first time

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

It's a line that might be familiar to many but some tourists were put to the test during a recent interaction with Singapore-based YouTuber Ghib Ojisan.

In a clip posted on Wednesday (Jan 10), Ghib wandered around town in search of tourists who were willing to try popular Chinese New Year food.

He had five different bites for them, and the "bizarreness" (his words) of the food would escalate with each round.

The fun little game began with an easy-to-eat snack: Pineapple tart.

Common in the Southeast Asia region, these bite-size tarts are basically synonymous with Chinese New Year celebrations.

Ghib Ojisan explained that pineapple tarts are eaten during this special occasion as the word "pineapple" in Hokkien literally translates to "prosperity has arrived".

One British lady likened the flavour to shortbread while another man said it tasted "quite similar" to German biscuits.

Kueh bangkit, on the other hand, received mixed reactions.

While the tourists appreciated the biscuit's flavours, many found the texture to be a little on the dry side.

The dishes would get more unique from that point on, starting with some classic prawn rolls.

While a Japanese couple noted how this snack would pair well with beer, others couldn't get past the fact that it was too spicy to enjoy.

"Is it very spicy? Your face is getting red," Ghib Ojisan asked a group of British women.

It seems like actions speak louder than words, in this case, as one of the ladies reached out for a bottle of water.

Another Chinese New Year favourite they tried was bak kwa, a savoury sweetmeat traditionally made from pork.

Interestingly, bak kwa wasn't too big a hurdle for the tourists.

"I want to buy this as souvenirs now," one Japanese man said.

A few European tourists felt it did not taste too foreign, saying that bak kwa reminded them of smoky bacon and beef jerky.

Dare to try?

As for sea cucumber though, almost everyone had zero frame of reference for the dish.

Furthermore, the gelatinous and squishy texture did little to whet their appetite. 

One woman candidly admitted she was actually shaking prior to taking a bite of sea cucumber.

Oddly enough, she ended up mentioning that it tasted like "instant chicken-flavoured noodles".

Apart from giving out some snacks in public, Ghib Ojisan also brought a few Japanese peers to a Crystal Jade restaurant for them to experience their first ever yusheng.

"It might look crazy but please don't be scared," he told them.

For the uninitiated, this dish, comprising raw fish and various seasonings, is eaten during Chinese New Year, where diners toss the ingredients while uttering auspicious phrases.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USPSJbvwU4c[/embed]

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amierul@asiaone.com

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