Chinese bamboo rats, which are linked to coronavirus, have been a sought-after food source in the country for centuries and hailed for their 'nutritional value'. The picture shows a farmer in Guizhou holding two bamboo rats in 2012A picture on Mr Zhushu, a forum for bamboo rat breeders, lists 30 ways to cook the rats' meat. One of them (pictured), sliced boiled bamboo rat, is presented in the shape of a rodentAll of the bamboo rats, amounting 916 in total, were said to belong to the same breeder, who ran one of the biggest bamboo rat farms in the area. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the meat of bamboo rats can detoxify one's body and improve the functions of one's stomach and spleen. On one page, the forum lists 30 different ways to cook bamboo rat meat, from grilling and roasting to pan-frying and simmering into a soup.

Source: Daily Mail June 22, 2020 14:50 UTC