Fetal duck egg or hot vit lon luoc is one of the famous street foods in Vietnam. This healthy and delicious dish is best eaten as a snack. The strong taste of fertilised duck egg enriched with various spices is just perfect to satisfy your cravings of exotic food.
What is Fetal Duck Egg (Hot Vit Lon Luoc)
Fetal duck egg or hot vit lon luoc is actually a boiled fertilised duck egg. This dish is considered as one of the healthiest dishes by the Vietnamese. The soft fertilised duck egg is enriched by fresh Vietnamese mint which makes the dish refreshing and delicious.
The key point of this dish is actually the dipping sauce. With spicy sauce that gives the dish some spice, it will make the fertilised duck egg taste even better. The warm embrace of the nostalgic dish can be experienced through one spoonful of fetal duck egg.
History of Fetal Duck Egg (Hot Vit Lon Luoc)
Fetal Duck Egg or Hot Vit Lon Luoc was originally a Chinese dish that was popular in the 1880s. This dish was then introduced to the Philippines by China traders who came to Philippines. Later, this dish came to be known as balot in Philippines where balot here means wrapping. Balot in Philippines is actually a method of growing and developing the bird-species embryo by keeping it incubated for days.
The incubation period usually can usually be extended from 14 to 21 days upon a customer’s request. The selected incubated duck egg will be boiled and eaten from the shell. The dish also became widespread in several countries including Vietnam and Myanmar. Not only is balot delicious, it’s health benefits made it incredibly popular and was later adopted as a traditional Vietnamese dish.
The Vietnamese started to sell this fetal duck egg in the streets and then in every mall and is well-loved by both the locals and tourists. This dish is quite simple to prepare as you only need a fertilised duck egg and a few spices like lime juice, salt and pepper to enjoy the dish.
The fertilised duck egg can be boiled first for 1 hour until it is warm enough. Once it is cooked enough to be eaten, use a spoon to crack the egg, and you can slurp the delicious soup on top of the egg. By using the same spoon, add the spices mentioned to flavour the egg meat with more refreshing taste. The duck egg meat now can be enjoyed by scooping out the meat directly from the eggshell.
Health Benefits of the Fetal Duck Egg (Hot Vit Lon Luoc)
There are several health benefits of this boiled fetal duck egg. According to one of the Vietnamese popular beliefs, it is said that fetal duck eggs are good for it nutritional values and encourages the fast recovery of a mother that has recently given birth. This dish is a good source of protein, lipid, calcium, vitamin A and Vitamin C, making it one of the healthiest dishes with a unique and delicious taste.
Where to Find Fetal Duck Egg (Hot Vit Lon Luoc) in Malaysia
Fetal Duck Egg or Hot Vit Lon Luoc can be found at Saigon House Cuisine. This restaurant serves the best fetal Duck Egg for you and your beloved ones. Find more Vietnamese Food on foodpanda!