Mono Lake in California. Photo from Vezoy / Wikipedia

If you're in the mood for a high-protein and high-fat snack inspired by the Kutzadika’a people of northern California, look no further than this recipe from food and travel writer Michael McCollum.

The tribe's name translates to "eaters of the brine fly pupae," according to Wikipedia. That's why the recipe calls for just one ingredient -- a handful of alkali fly pupae, to be blended in a food processor or by hand in a mortar and pestle.

"Since the pupae are rich in fat and protein, they were an excellent source of food and were dried and used in stews or just eaten on the spot," McCollum writes. "No catch and release here, my friend."

The pupae can be collected from Mono Lake for authenticity. The flies are part of a unique ecosystem that the tribe subsisted upon.

Kutzadika’a descendants are enrolled in several tribes, according to Wikipedia.

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Recipe: Mono Lake dip (The Patterson Irrigator 5/8)