According to folk beliefs, squid, duck, balut (fertilized duck egg), bitter melon, and ripe bananas are foods that help “drive away bad luck” and “reverse misfortune.”
1. Squid
Grilled Squid with Satay. (Photo: Ngo Tuyet Phuong).
Squid is considered an inauspicious dish at the beginning of the year or the month. Our ancestors used to say: “Black as squid.” This seafood has a black ink sac, leading to the belief that it brings bad luck and misfortune. However, this dish is very suitable for consumption at the end of the year or the end of the month, aiming to reverse bad luck and misfortune. Squid can be prepared in various ways, such as steamed squid, stuffed squid, kimchi squid, stir-fried squid with vegetables, squid salad, dried squid, squid hotpot with sour leaves, squid dipped in vinegar, spicy grilled squid, and grilled squid with satay.
2. Duck
Duck dishes are also favored to reverse bad luck at the end of the year. (Photo: Ngo Tuyet Phuong).
Similar to squid, duck is a popular dish at the end of the month or during times of misfortune. Ancestors believed that ducks brought bad luck in business, family disputes, and sluggishness, so they were often avoided at the beginning of the month or the year. However, in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), duck meat becomes popular to “drive away” misfortune.
During this time, local duck restaurants are much busier, especially with grilled and roasted duck dishes that fill the air with delicious aromas. Additionally, duck can be prepared in various ways, such as curry duck, duck hotpot with satay, duck cooked with fermented tofu, duck with taro, duck salad with water spinach, five-spice duck stew, roasted duck with vermicelli, duck porridge, and mock dog meat duck.
3. Balut (Fertilized Duck Egg)
Balut with a crispy outer shell, hot and aromatic inside, blended with sweet and sour dipping sauce. (Photo: Le Nguyen).
In ancient beliefs, if one is experiencing misfortune and eats balut, their luck will be reversed. This dish is popular at the end of the old year or month. To reverse bad luck, it is common to eat balut in odd numbers: 1, 3, 5, or 7 eggs, symbolizing the reversal of misfortune and the reception of good luck. In many places, after eating, people often crush the eggshell or stomp on it. This act is believed to dispel bad luck and bring good fortune. Balut is commonly boiled and served with Vietnamese coriander and ginger. However, it can also be prepared in many variations, such as fried balut, stewed with gourd, stir-fried with tamarind, grilled with sour and spicy sauce, and cooked in porridge.
4. Bitter Melon
Sweet and sour pickled bitter melon to cleanse the palate during Tet. (Photo: Ngo Tuyet Phuong).
When talking about Tet in southern Vietnam, one cannot forget bitter melon. This dish is often prepared for the last meal of the year or during the three days of Tet. Its popularity comes from its auspicious name, hoping that all sorrow and misfortune from the old year will pass quickly to welcome good things in the new year.
During Tet, the southern weather is usually hot. Eating many meat and fish dishes can lead to discomfort. A bowl of refreshing bitter melon soup can help regulate the body. The most common preparation is stuffed bitter melon soup. During family gatherings at the end of the year, you can also make fish cake hotpot served with bitter melon, sweet and sour pickled bitter melon, bitter melon salad, and stir-fried bitter melon with eggs, often served with shrimp paste…
5. Ripe Bananas
Sun-dried ripe bananas can be made into a snack. (Photo: Ngo Tuyet Phuong).
In some regions, ripe bananas are also considered inauspicious as they may lead to the owner losing wealth. Additionally, the word “banana” sounds similar to “chui,” which means “unable to lift one’s head.” Instead, ripe bananas are often eaten at the end of the month and year to dispel bad luck. They are inexpensive, nutritious, and good for health. If you don’t want to eat fresh bananas, you can make various snacks such as fried bananas, banana cake, sugar-coated bananas, banana sandwiches, banana smoothies, and banana pudding…
