Oil and Lacquer

At Hai Lun Restaurant, and at many other places, Tiet Canh De (Deer’s Blood) is a V.I.P dish. A deer, which has been properly fed and nurtured, is butchered in the morning so that this dish can be served for dinner. The blood of the deer is saved and refrigerated. In the evening, the deer meat is cook and chopped into fine pieces. Then, the meat is scattered onto a platter and is seasoned with MSG, lemongrass, and salt and pepper. The blood is poured on and in about 20 minutes the dish hardens into a gelatin-like consistency.