Tiết Canh Vịt, Duck Blood Pudding, Vietnamese Blood Pudding, Vietnamese Raw Blood Jelly
WARNING: This dish is made from raw duck blood and eating it is NOT recommended. Raw blood can carry Streptococcus suis (which causes meningitis and sepsis — people in Vietnam have died after eating pig-blood tiet canh), avian influenza from duck blood, salmonella and other dangerous germs. Vietnam's Ministry of Health advises against eating tiet canh, and no preparation method — not even blood from a fresh or trusted source — makes raw blood fully safe. This page describes the traditional Hanoi preparation, tiết canh vịt, for cultural knowledge only. One serving is about 241 g: a small bowl of fresh duck blood mixed with fish sauce, poured over finely chopped cooked duck meat and left to set into a soft, trembling jelly, then finished with crushed roasted peanuts, fresh herbs, lime and chili, and served cold.
Tiết canh is a long-standing dish of northern Vietnam, and the duck version, tiết canh vịt, is the best-known form in Hanoi, where it is served at family gatherings and celebrations. The name joins tiết, blood, with canh, a savoury broth or soup. The blood is drawn fresh, mixed with fish sauce to keep it liquid, poured over finely chopped cooked duck meat, and left to set into a soft jelly, then finished with peanuts, herbs, lime and chili. Health authorities in Vietnam have long warned against the dish, and in 2009 the agriculture ministry called for a ban on selling it, yet it remains a familiar sight at festive meals in the north.
Pairs well with: Fresh herbs, lime wedges, sliced chili and rice crackers on the side.
Provenance
Vietnam
Hanoi Heritage
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
1h 10m
30m prep • 40m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
228 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 241 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Raw Dish — Timing Matters)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Hanoi Heritage
Photo: Lê Huỳnh Bộ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)
The traditional Hanoi version: fresh duck blood, fish sauce, cooked duck meat, peanuts and herbs, served cold in small bowls.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Meat, Peanuts & Herbs
30 Mins • Cooking & Chopping
Simmer the gizzards and neck meat in salted water for about 25 minutes until tender, then lift them out, reserve 250 ml of the broth and leave it to cool completely. While the meat cools, roast and crush the peanuts, grill and chop the shallot, and wash and chop the herbs. Chop the cooled meat finely and season it with black pepper.
Maestro Tip: Do all the cooking and chopping first — once the blood is mixed with the fish sauce, the bowls must be filled at once, so everything else should already be ready.
25 Mins Simmering, ~95°C (203°F)
Put the gizzards and neck meat in a pot, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and simmer gently for about 25 minutes until tender. Lift the meat out and reserve 250 ml of the broth, then leave the broth to cool completely. Let the meat cool, then chop it very finely and season with the black pepper.
The meat must be cooked right through — check that the thickest piece reaches 74°C (165°F) inside before you take it off the heat.
Done when: Tender meat that cuts easily, with no pink left, and a clear savoury broth.
5 Mins Room temperature, ~25°C (77°F)
Pour the fresh duck blood into a bowl and stir in the fish sauce at once, mixing well so the blood stays liquid and does not clot early. Work quickly and do not let the blood sit. This step only keeps the blood liquid — it does not make raw blood safe to eat.
Stir in one direction with chopsticks until the blood and fish sauce are fully combined and smooth.
Done when: A smooth, free-flowing dark red liquid with no lumps.
10 Mins Room temperature, ~25°C (77°F)
Divide the chopped meat, grilled shallot and chopped herbs evenly among 4 small bowls, pressing the mixture lightly into a flat layer so the blood can cover it evenly.
Use shallow bowls, not deep ones — a thin layer sets faster and more evenly.
Done when: Four bowls with an even, flat layer of meat and herbs.
15 Mins Room temperature, ~25°C (77°F), then chill
Stir the cooled broth into the blood and fish sauce mixture, then pour it quickly and evenly over the meat in each bowl. Leave the bowls completely still for about 15 minutes until the blood sets into a soft jelly. If not serving at once, chill the bowls at 4°C (39°F).
Do not move, shake or tilt the bowls while they set — any movement breaks the jelly and it will not set again.
Done when: The surface holds the mark of a spoon pressed lightly on it, and the jelly trembles but does not run.
5 Mins Serve chilled, 4°C (39°F)
Scatter the crushed peanuts, remaining herbs and sliced chili over each set bowl, and serve at once, cold, with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top. Eat immediately — do not leave the bowls standing at room temperature.
Serve the moment the garnish goes on: the pudding is at its best in the first minutes after setting.
Done when: A glossy, set jelly topped with peanuts and herbs, served cold.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Scatter the peanuts and herbs over each set bowl, add chili and a lime wedge, and serve cold at once — the pudding is at its best in the first minutes after setting.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
228
kcal / serving
Protein
30g
Complete AA
Carbs
7g
Complex
Fats
9g
Healthy
| Energy | 228 kcal |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fibre | 1.4 g |
| Sugar | 1.3 g |
| Sodium | 1125 mg |
| Energy | 94 kcal |
| Protein | 12.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.9 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g |
| Fibre | 0.6 g |
| Sugar | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 467 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: The blood and duck meat supply iron and vitamin B12, while lime and fresh herbs add vitamin C. Nutrition values are estimated.
Protein in Every Bowl
One serving carries about 30.3 g of protein from the blood and cooked duck meat, so a small 241 g bowl is filling for its size.
Light on Calories
A serving has about 228 kcal, which is light for a 241 g portion, because the dish is mostly blood and broth with a little meat and peanuts.
Fresh Herbs & Lime
Mint, cilantro and Vietnamese coriander, plus lime, add fresh flavour and vitamin C without adding fat or much salt of their own.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Rice Crackers
Crisp, plain rice crackers give a dry crunch against the soft, trembling jelly, and their neutral flavour lets the blood pudding lead.
Vegetables
Fresh Herb Plate
A plate of mint, Vietnamese coriander, perilla and cilantro is the traditional partner — the cool, fragrant leaves cut through the rich blood and refresh the mouth between spoonfuls.
Drinks
Cold Green Tea
Unsweetened iced green tea is the everyday Vietnamese partner for a rich snack, and it cleanses the palate without adding sugar.
Full Menus
A Cooked Main Beside It
Serve the bowls as a small shared snack next to a fully cooked main, such as grilled duck or stir-fried morning glory, so the table has a hot, cooked dish as its centre.
Complete menu
Serve the four small bowls of tiet canh as a shared snack with a plate of fresh herbs, rice crackers and iced green tea, next to a fully cooked main such as grilled duck.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Raw Blood — Serious Infection Risk
This dish is served raw, and eating raw blood is NOT recommended. Raw pig blood can carry Streptococcus suis, which causes meningitis and sepsis — people in Vietnam have died after eating pig-blood tiet canh — and raw duck blood can carry avian influenza, salmonella and other dangerous germs. Vietnam's Ministry of Health advises against eating tiet canh, and no preparation method makes raw blood fully safe, not even blood from a fresh or trusted source. People with open cuts or wounds must also avoid this dish — Streptococcus suis can enter the body through broken skin. This is general food information, not medical advice — talk to a doctor if you have any health concerns.
Peanuts — Allergy Risk
Each bowl is topped with crushed roasted peanuts, so anyone with a peanut allergy must not eat this dish at all — the peanuts cannot be picked off safely. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Leftovers & Warm Storage
Raw blood spoils very fast. Discard any bowl left standing at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and never keep leftovers for another day — the dish must be eaten fresh, straight after setting. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
Vietnam
3h 30m
Slow-simmered star anise and cinnamon bone broth with hand-cut rice noodles, supplying clean restorative warmth and collagen. One serving is about 775 g.
Immunity & Warming
Slow-simmered bone broth with rice noodles, rare beef and fresh herbs.
Vietnam
1h 5m
Fresh rice paper rolls filled with poached prawns, tender pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce, herbs and carrot, served with a peanut dipping sauce.
Light Digestion
Nothing is fried, so the rolls stay light and fresh — a cool, herb-filled snack for hot days.
Vietnam
1h 45m
Pork belly slowly braised in coconut water and caramel until meltingly tender, with golden eggs that soak up the sweet-savoury sauce — the Vietnamese family dish that tastes better the next day.
Comfort & Sustained Energy
Slow-braised pork belly and eggs in coconut water and caramel.
Spain
15m
Country bread rubbed with ripe Ramallet tomato, drizzled with cold-pressed Arbequina olive oil and topped with jamón ibérico.
Vascular Health
Toasted tomato bread with jamón ibérico, olive oil and olives.
