Read the blog about some unusual foods in Vietnam.

"STRANGE FOOD" TOUR IN VIETNAM

Harry’s blog

 I have been to Viet Nam in two months and I am so in love with this country. This time coming back to my beloved place, I decided to challenge myself to try some unusual dishes. The experience was incredible!

1. Trứng vịt lộn (Duck in an egg/ Balut)

As described in the name “duck in an egg”, balut is the nearly formed baby duck in an egg. This weird and unusual Vietnamese food is a nutritious and favourite street food. The image of trying to eat an egg with “bones” and “feathers” could be horrifying to some people.

The egg is boiled for 5 to 7 minutes and served with Vietnamese herbs, some ginger, and salt mixed with black pepper in lime juice. Sip on the juice then enjoy the taste of the egg with the salty, spicy and sour sauce, you will never forget this strange experience. The herbs and ginger also enhance the flavour of this dish so I recommend you must try it with balut. Amazing!

2. Bún đậu mắm tôm

The original version of this unusual Vietnamese food consists of rice vermicelli (bún), fried tofu (đậu), and shrimp paste (mắm tôm). These simple ingredients make the dish one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes. Until now, even many local people still find the fermented shrimp paste’s smell unpleasant, while others quickly get addicted to its flavour when eating it with tofu or vermicelli.

In many restaurants and stalls these days, they add some boiled pork belly, fried spring rolls and other Vietnamese sausages. The various, colourful ingredients are put carefully on a bamboo plate. A food lover would add some drops of kumquat, some chilli, and sugar to the shrimp paste and mix it all together. Take the first bite with crunchy fried tofu dipped in the sauce, and add some bún and chả cốm after that. Don’t forget to eat some herbs. It’s both fatty and fresh, salty and spicy, crunchy and soft. It feels like a big feast inside one bite. I would say that bún đậu mắm tôm is worth a try!

Choose the best answer A, B or C.

1. What did Harry decide to do when he came to Viet Nam?

A. He decided to stay in Viet Nam for two months.

B. He decided to challenge some of his local friends

C. He decided to explore some strange food in Viet Nam

2. Balut is one of the _________ that people like.

A. street food

B. healthy food

C. fast food

3. What is Harry’s recommendation for others?

A. Boil the egg in 5 to 7 minutes

B. Do not sip the juice inside the egg

C. Add ginger and herbs with balut

4. Why can’t many people handle shrimp paste?

A. It smells nice

B. It tastes unpleasant

C. It smells unpleasant

5. What is mentioned as the original version of bún đậu mắm tôm?

A. rice vermicelli and fried tofu

B. rice vermicelli, duck egg and fried tofu 

C. rice vermicelli, fried tofu and shrimp paste

True or False.

6. Lime juice is used to add to the dipping sauce of both dishes.

7. Many people can’t stand the smell of shrimp paste while others love it.