maegda moh (แมงดาหม้อ)

Thai name for the Giant Water Bug, a freshwater insect with the scientific designation Lethocerus indicus, also known as muan nahm yak (มวนน้ำยักษ์) and popularly referred to as maengda nah (แมงดานา), or simply maengda. This bug in the family Belostomatidae is around 7-8 centimeters in length, brown to blackish in colour, and with rather large eyes. It is able to swim and to fly, and has transparent wings, with a yellowish-brown shine. It is native to the South and Southeast Asian region. There are three subspecies of oner occurs in Thailand. In some countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, it is eaten by some people, either fried and consumed as a whole (fig.), or used as an ingredient in certain dishes. In Thai cuisine, it is an ingredient in nahm phrik, i.e. a type of chili sauce used as a condiment (fig.), and nahm phrik num, i.e. a spicy dish of pounded grilled green chilies (fig.). If those dishes are prepared with the Giant Water Bug, then typically the term maengda is added as a suffix, e.g. nahm prik maengda. 回