Cassia caterpillars headline Vietnam’s annual spring stir-fry, hitting Central Highlands kitchens as locals harvest golden larvae by the kilo (16$ per kilo) in March and April. In a culinary plot twist, these garden pests become a nutty, crunchy treat worth more per pound than shrimp.

Each golden caterpillar is purged, blanched, and sautéed with lime leaves, delivering a flavor punch and a texture described as “crunchy outside, creamy inside.” This offbeat high-protein snack, a staple of weird foods culture, sometimes leaves diners scratching—literally and figuratively.