Tuna eyeballs: Rewarding dish for daunting tastebuds

When visiting Quy Nhon city in Binh Dinh province, locals often introduce tourists to a unique seafood delicacy: oceanic tuna eyeballs.

Oceanic tuna with sizes ranging from 40-50kg have eyes approximately the size of a tennis ball, which is quite "gigantic" compared to those of other fish..

Many countries around the world enjoy tuna, typically using the fish for canned products, sashimi, or sushi. However, Vietnam is one of the few countries that uses tuna eyes for culinary purposes, which might be a bit daunting for first-timers.

To eliminate the fishy smell from tuna eyeballs, they are typically blanched in boiling salt water, then cleaned and steamed with pandan leaves, lemongrass, and ginger.

This process infuses the eyeballs with pleasant aromas, effectively removing the fishy taste. Depending on the dish, the eyeballs are then marinated with various ingredients and spices.

A ready-to-eat serving of tuna eyeballs costs between 80,000 and 100,000 VND. This reasonable price, combined with high nutritional value and simple preparation, makes it an attractive dish for visitors to Quy Nhon./.