Vietnamese cuisine is known for its common use of fish sauce, soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Vietnamese recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves. Throughout all regions the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese also have a number of Buddhist vegetarian dishes. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are pork, beef, prawns, various kinds of tropical fish, and chicken. Duck is used less widely. Vietnamese cuisine can be basically divided into three categories, each pertaining to a specific region. Northern Vietnamese cooking tends to be much simpler in preparation in comparison to food of the Central and South, and features a lot of stir-frys, employing more often the use of soy sauce as well (Northern cuisine is generally more Chinese influenced). Due to the North being historically poorer, variations of national foods are served less abundantly (in terms of ingredients) in the north. Southern Vietnamese cooking has an extensive use of vegetables, fish, and other seafood, it typically also holds the most French influence. Lastly, Central Vietnamese cooking is perhaps the most unique of all and probably the most distinct in taste - being much, much spicier than its Northern and Southern counterparts, as well as being much more colorful. Central cooking is also obviously influenced by the royal setting (therefore by the little-known royal Vietnamese cooking), being not only very spicy and colorful but focusing on a multitude of small side dishes set on the table at once. The more dishes on a family table, the wealthier that particular family was. Meats such as snake, soft-shell turtle, goat, and dog are enjoyed almost exclusively as "cocktail delicacies" with alcohol, and are not considered typical everyday fare. However, dog meat consumption is more widespread in the North, where it is considered a borderline mainstream meat, although not eaten nearly as often as pork or fish. Balut (Hột vịt lộn), a common dish in other Asian countries, can be found in Vietnam as well. Balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. It's typically served with fresh herbs, salt, and pepper.