Each country is known for having its own cuisine. That’s part of what makes the culture so special and unique. However, for outsiders visiting exotic destinations, these different cuisines can sometimes be hard to stomach. Take Vietnam, for instance. You’ll encounter plenty of original dishes here, but whether they’ll be to your taste depends on how adventurous you’re feeling.

Trung vit lon

The difference between the eggs you find in a supermarket and the ones that hatch into a bird is that the latter are fertilized. That means you don’t have to worry about eating a baby chicken or duck with your store-bought eggs, unless you’re in Vietnam, of course. Here, trung vit lon is a protein-rich delicacy that’s popular as a kid’s breakfast meal. The dish translates to “fertilized duck egg” and contains a partly-formed embryo. Whether you can actually see the animal inside differs between eggs, but some people may find this food hard to stomach regardless.

Chan ga

Do you ever look at an animal’s feet and think they would taste delicious? It’s a part of the body that most American dishes don’t utilize, but over in Vietnam, it’s a different story. Chicken feet, or chan ga, is a popular feature of cuisine in this country. It helps that they’re pretty cheap, so they’re accessible as an ingredient for most citizens. Some people boil chicken feet, others fry them, but most have them as a side with a hot pot.

Tiet canh

Soup can be quite a comforting dish when you’re feeling unwell. Unfortunately, some of the soups you get in Vietnam may only make you feel worse once you know what’s in them. One that used to be more popular than it is now is tiet canh, which contained a mixture of fresh blood from multiple animals. It’s become less common because of the health risks it poses, though it’s not impossible to find. In its place is animal organ soup, which utilizes the inner parts of pigs, chickens, and ducks to create a broth. Depending on where you go, it’s sometimes possible to pick and choose the organs you want in your soup.

Con nhong

In America, worms and larvae are usually nothing more than pests you uncover in your backyard. Over in Vietnam, though, they can be a delicacy. Of course, people there aren’t just picking any old insects out of the ground and cooking them. Certain species are more prized than others, such as the con nhong (or silkworm nymphs.) These creatures are popular in the north of the country, thanks to their proteins and minerals. You’ll often find them on food stalls, where they’re dried and fried with fish sauce.

These dishes might seem bizarre to someone with an American palate, but they’re perfectly normal in Vietnam. If you want to immerse yourself in the culture while you’re there, you may wish to try one or two of the most unusual dishes to try in Vietnam. Just know that it might take a couple of tries before you’re used to them.