TRỨNG VỊT LỘN (BALUT)

Also found in the Phillippines, where it is known as balut, the trứng vịt lộn is a macabre yet guiltily delicious twist on a duck egg. The egg is left to gestate until an embryo has been formed, then hard-boiled, creating a boiled egg with chunks of a half-developed duckling. It is as gory as you would expect, and more flavorful than any other egg you will ever have. A trứng vịt lộn goes great with some rau răm (Vietnamese coriander) and salt and pepper. Classic.

Besides trứng vịt lộn, there is also a dish which is quite similar with also a similar name “trứng cút lộn”. Actually, the two are not so different, except the trứng cút lộn is a mini version of the trứng vịt lộn. However, trứng cút lộn is way easier to eat because the egg is quite small with the size of a small pebble. Unlike trứng vịt lộn, trứng cút lộn can be cooked in many ways to create such tempting dishes besides boiled cút lộn such as “cút lộn xào me” (stir-fried cút lộn with tamarind) eaten with bread, which is adored by many foodlovers.

THỊT CHÓ (DOG MEAT)

Dog meat. Yes, dog meat. The controversial protein is found on drinking tables everywhere in Vietnam, particularly in the North, where it is deemed as a delicacy. Most commonly paired with mam tom (fermented shrimp paste) – another bizarre food we will cover later – dog meat is described as having the texture of pork, but the taste of chicken. Some call it unethical and cruel, while others swear on this meat.

ĐUÔNG DỪA (COCONUT WORM)

Insects are odd enough as food if you think about it, but the king of odd insects has to be the coconut worm. Found on coconut trees in relatively low numbers, the coconut worm is a specialty not for the faint-hearted. The correct way to serve them? Raw, swimming in a large bowl of fish sauce and chili peppers – as you let it soak in the flavor of the spicy fish sauce. For whoever eats this for the first time, đuông dừa is the worst nightmare. However, after the first bite, most people say it tastes like coconut! Maybe that is why the creature is called coconut worm.

TIẾT CANH (BLOOD PUDDING)

Another bloody favorite of the drinking crowd, blood pudding is made from blood – most commonly duck blood – as well as other ingredients such as innards, fish sauce and crushed peanuts. Described as having the texture of pizza, tiết canh is said to be reinvigorating and extremely taste. Beware though – poorly prepared blood pudding has led to cases of blood contimation, cholera and even death! Somehow, strangely, it is still the favorite dish of most middle-age to old people.

SẦU RIÊNG (DURIAN)

Perhaps the most divisive fruit in Asia, the durian is a fruit that packs a strong taste and an ever stronger scent. Banned from most public premises in Southeast Asia due to its pervasive smell, the durian’s custard-ish flavor is strangely addictive, if not slightly overpowering. Like most of the foods on this list, it is incredibly controversial: some people will defend the durian to death, while others would not touch it with a five foot pole.

NHỘNG (SILKWORM PUPAE)

Another member of the creepy crawly critters family, “con nhộng” is a creamy delicacy most popular in Central Vietnam, though it can be found pretty much anywhere. The pupae is again another insect that is beloved by the drinking crowd, whether it is sauteed with piper leaves or fried. On the first glance, the silkworm pupae looks nothing different from a skinny coconut worm. However, besides the different taste, the nhộng is “luckily” cooked. There are many dishes of nhộng that Vietnamese think of and it is especially various in the mountainous areas. However, the most typical nhộng dish is stir-fried silkworm pupae.

MẮM TÔM (FERMENTED SHRIMP PASTE)

More of a condiment than an actual food, the infamous mắm tôm still manages to find itself on the list due to its pure absurdity. Tiny shrimp is fermented for 6 months to a year in a special process until it decomposes and creates a strong-smelling paste. The scent is extremely pungent, and so is the taste. It’s a key component of many popular dishes, such as thịt chó mắm tom (dog meat with fermented shrimp paste) or bún đậu mắm tôm (bean curd noodles with shrimp paste). You will either hate it, or be addicted to it.

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