Balut (fertilized duck egg) stewed in gourd

Balut (fertilized duck egg) stewed with gourd may look elaborate, but the preparation is quite simple. The main ingredients, of course, are balut and gourd. Wash the balut and boil it in a pot of boiling water. Cut the gourd into bite-sized triangular pieces. Peel the balut and stir-fry it with the gourd, adding water and seasonings such as onions, chili peppers, fish sauce, and pepper, adjusting the amount to your taste. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and garnish with fresh chili peppers, scallions, and coriander. This keeps the dish warm while creating a nostalgic, elegant, and visually appealing presentation.

As a child, I could only eat the yolk of fertilized duck eggs, but as I got older, I became fascinated by the slightly fishy smell and the rich, sweet, and slightly fatty taste of the "baby" part. Fertilized eggs are a high-protein dish that can be quite heavy on the stomach, but when combined with the "gentle" gourd, it becomes easy to eat and digest. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, gourd is a fruit with a mild taste and cooling properties, capable of relieving heat, detoxifying, and reducing bloating... thus neutralizing the "difficulty" of the egg. Indeed, normally, eating steamed or raw fertilized eggs would leave me feeling a bit full, but fertilized eggs stewed in gourd are different; I feel light and healthy, as if I've just enjoyed a bowl of ginseng soup.

Although it's considered a nourishing dish, often thought to be for the elderly and middle-aged, braised balut (fertilized duck egg) with gourd is very popular among young people in Hue. Restaurants selling this dish often stay open very late, until one or two in the morning. Young people in the ancient capital, after a tiring night out or feeling like exploring the city at night, will stop by, order a bowl of braised balut with gourd, and enjoy it while chatting happily. The refreshing taste of the broth, the spicy heat of the chili, the slightly bitter taste of the spinach, the richness of the balut… a dish that is both delicious, nutritious, and light, leaving you feeling full and awake.

Balut (fertilized duck egg) stewed in gourd is a rather special dish, suitable for both hot and cold seasons. Eating it in winter provides warmth thanks to the heat of the broth and the heat retention of the pot, while eating it in summer provides a cooling effect due to the cooling properties of the gourd and the balut. Year-round, whenever I pass by a balut stewed gourd stall, I always see rows of carts and people bustling about, the owners never resting.

Interestingly, many foreign tourists visiting Vietnam are still quite hesitant about dishes made with balut (fertilized duck egg). This local delicacy is a source of curiosity, even fear, for those from afar – a clear cultural difference. However, it's undeniable that balut is a unique aspect of Vietnamese cuisine , alongside other unusual dishes like blood pudding, vermicelli with tofu and shrimp paste, coconut beetle larvae, cha ruoi (a type of fried worm), and durian. If you can't eat it, you'll never touch it again, but if it suits your taste, you'll be hooked for life!

Text and photos: Thuc Dan