Duck in Cau Dua Bridge

Not only well known for producing Nem, Ninh Hoa is also famous for its duck population. According to ancient folklore, the local ducks were ranked second after salangane birds in terms of special regional creatures.

Thanks to rich rice fields that produce fulsome rice seeds, Ninh Hoa has a lot of fat ducks around. Their meat is tender, lean and sweet. However, today people talk less about Ninh Hoa ducks and more about the subsequent cooked duck varieties and a special duck's blood curd, found in food stores in the Cau Dua Bridge area, about 3-4km south of the city centre.

For most foreigners, duck meat is very popular, but duck's blood curd is quite bizarre, sometimes heard about and seen for the first time. Duck can be cooked in a variety of ways, but the most favourite dishes are boiled or grilled. With a special method of cooking, the duck is very delicious, tender, lean and with good texture.

Unlike duck meat, duck's blood curd is difficult to try; for some the thought is a stomach-churning experience. It's not something you want to taste everyday: a big dish of uncooked red blood curd. The taste - let alone the imagined standard of hygiene - is enough to put you off! But despite this, the dish is highly regarded. To make the dish, it's essential to have duck's blood taken from a strong duck, mixed with chopped duck gizzards, heart and liver and roasted peanuts. Then it's a matter of waiting for the mixture to solidify naturally. This dish is best served with basil, coriander, fragrant knotweed, etc, and a small piece of very crisp sesame pancake. Duck's blood curd costs VND 6,000 a dish; boiled duck costs VND 18,000 a dish; duck soup costs VND 5,000 a bowl.