‘Trung Vit Lon’ (balut, or duck’s egg with embryos inside) is a popular street delicacy across Viet Nam. Not only is it delicious, but also rich in nutrients. It can be boiled, stir-fried, tossed or poached in soup.

Duck eggs served with pepper salt, laksa leaves and ginger fish sauce

In Viet Nam, people hold a long-standing belief that eating trung vit lon’ can help to get rid of bad luck. People in Da Nang often eat these eggs as their evening snack.

Located on the sidewalk of the Ho Nghinh - Morrison intersection in Son Tra District, the Hai Yen balut eatery is quite crowded because every night it can sell about 1,700 baby quail and duck eggs.

It can be said that the special feature of this popular dish lies not only in the quality of the eggs, but in the deliciousness of the accompanying ingredients. Duck egg embryos can be seasoned with chili, garlic, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, ground pepper, and the pungent Vietnamese coriander called ‘rau ram’.

The delicate combination of the fatty, sweet, fragrant taste of balut; the sour and crunchy taste of toadstool, papaya; the salty taste of salt and pepper; and the spiciness of laksa leaves and ginger fish sauce, make the dish even more tasty.

According to the female owner of the eatery, fetal duck eggs are available everywhere. However, most are served with salt and pepper, laksa leaves or shredded papaya. Cutting green papaya too small will reduce its crunchiness and unique flavour, while cutting green papaya into large pieces and adding a little sour ambarella fruits will make the dish less "boring".

Not to mention, toadstools and papayas must be soaked in a mixture of fish sauce, gingers and sugar a day in advance to absorb the spices and retain their crispy, fragrant texture.

A boiled duck egg with embryos insides costs VND11,000.

The later at night it gets, the more guests arrive in. Every day, Mrs. Yen sells about 700 duck eggs and 1,000 quail eggs, served with about 20 kiloes of pickled toadstools and papaya.

The ginger fish sauce is mixed with a moderate sweet and spicy taste, suitable for most diners' tastes.

To enjoy this popular dish, you can visit the eatery from 3:00 pm to midnight. In particular, depending on the customer's request, the eggs will be pre-cracked into a small bowl or left in the shell, scooped with a spoon to keep the dish warm.

Reporting by KY NAM - Translating by M.DUNG