We've got eyes on you

And not only eyes, but nasty little claws as well. These little crabbies are Pu Na Kem, rice field crabs, so called because of their natural habitat, the swamp-like rice fields of central Thailand. They are pickled raw, and used in the famous Som Tum and various Yum salads. There is even a coconut relish made with these salty crabs. They are not the most healthful of ingredients, if truth be told. These Pu Kem have got all sorts of parasites and germs they can transmit if eaten raw, which is how they are most usually served. It doesn't seem to stop to many people in Thailand though.