A balut is a duck egg hatched and is one of the Philippines’ many tasty foods. An egg has four parts: the soup, the egg white, the yolk, and the baby duck. Balut makers in Pateros now get their raw eggs from places like the province of Bulacan, which has a lot of industrial farms. This has made the Balut taste stronger and smell like meat (which may explain the necessity of adding vinegar and chilies).
What is Balut?
Balut is a fertilized egg with a partially developed embryo inside. It may be made with a duck egg or a chicken egg in places where it is considered a special treat. The method for making it is straightforward. Most of the time, the egg is boiled and eaten right out of the shell, just like boiled eggs that haven’t been fertilized are consumed worldwide.
The fertilized duck egg or chicken egg is thought to have more protein in places where Balut is often served, and the boiled embryo is also believed to give the egg more taste and texture. You can eat a balut as a quick snack with a beer or ale or use it as the main course of a meal.
In addition to boiling the fertilized chicken egg or duck egg, the exposed contents of the shell are sometimes sprayed with vinegar, chili peppers, or other spices. Some people still don’t like eating the white parts of the body, while others eat everything inside the egg. Balut can also be baked into the middle of pastries or mixed into an egg batter and fried as a main dish.
Balut is made by letting the egg develop into an embryo for a few days after fertilizing it. The egg is kept warm during this time. Most of the time, the source only needs eight or nine days of consistent warmth to grow. At this point, the egg is ready to be put on the stove to boil.
After boiling, the egg’s contents can be used in various recipes. Balut is almost always served while it is still warm. People in many parts of Asia still like to eat this kind of egg. There isn’t much demand for Balut in North America, but some ethnic food markets carry a small amount.
How Long to Boil Balut?
Balut is a tasty egg dish made by boiling or steaming hard-cooked eggs for about 20 minutes. After the top of the shell is peeled off and the membrane is broken, the liquid inside is drunk in one quick gulp. Balut is cooked until it is complicated by boiling or steaming it for about 20 to 30 minutes. Balut is eaten as a snack or part of a meal after it is cooked.
How to Cook Balut?
Follow these simple steps to cook Balut:
Step 1: The first thing you need to cook Balut is a pot or wok. Put water in it and heat it until it boils.
Step 2: To make the rice, boil it with water on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Let the duck eggs come to room temperature, making peel easier under running water.
Step 3: Remove all the albumins until you’re left with just the shell and the goo, and then let them dry out for 30–60 minutes in front of a fan.
Step 4: Peel off the shells, put the shrimp in boiling water, and stir them occasionally while they cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 5: Take them out of the water and serve them with soy sauce, vinegar, and green onions. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Uncooked duck or chicken eggs that have been fertilized
Salt and vinegar are used to season the eggs and eliminate some of the ammonia taste.
Cooker or pot to boil the eggs in. If you are cooking a lot, you may need more than one since it takes about an hour to cook an egg properly.
What does Balut Taste Like?
Balut tastes mildly savory and has a hint of fermented flavor in the background. The egg juice is most like thinned-out chicken broth made with eggs. If you eat the yolk, you’ll find that it tastes and feels like a firm, creamy, and airy custard-like pudding that has a hint of fish. Some people might not like that the yellow yolk has veins running through it. The egg part doesn’t taste like a regular chicken or duck egg that has been cooked. There is an album on the top of the egg. This white part is usually thrown away because it is hard and feels terrible.
How to Eat Balut?
Before Balut is served warm, it is boiled for up to 30 minutes. It’s OK to gulp down the whole egg at once. But some people like to make this snack a “mini meal” with several courses.
1. Open it
To get the egg open, hold it in one hand and tap the wider bottom on a bench until it breaks. Turn the egg on its side and peel the shell off the bottom. This will show you what’s inside. At this point, you should add some salt and either soy sauce or vinegar. The egg is often topped in Vietnam with salt, pepper, Vietnamese coriander, and other spices.
2. Sip it
Use the egg like a cup and sip the liquid until it’s gone. There isn’t much to drink, maybe just a sip? Even for someone from the West who has never tried Balut before, this part of the meal is a lot of fun.
3. Scoop it
Take the soft yolk out with a spoon and eat it. Most people would probably say that this is the best part of a boiled egg. It feels like scrambled eggs but more like mousse.
4. Munch it
The last step is to eat the duck’s egg. You can put the bird in your mouth with a spoon or fingers. Most people in the area will eat it all in one bite. This is the hardest part of the dish, and not everyone can handle it.
How to Serve Balut Eggs?
Take one or two balut eggs out of the hot water and put them in small, shallow bowls. Use the edge of a spoon to crack an egg the same way you would to get a soft-boiled egg out of its shell. If the ducks who laid the eggs ate what they were supposed to eat, sprinkle a little salt on the egg. If the balut eggs came from a farm, you might want to add a mix of vinegar and chili oil.
Eat the duck fetus, drink the broth and eat the egg yolk. If it hasn’t been aged for more than 17 days, it shouldn’t have any bones, taste like chicken, and be more like brick cream cheese or tofu in texture. Eggs that have been around for a long time may have beaks, bones, and feathers that you can eat. Throw away the shell and any white albumen that may still be inside it.
Where to Buy Balut?
It is easy to find Balut in Southeast Asia because street vendors and stores sell it. They are harder to see in the United States, but you can find them online at farmer’s markets. Balut is eaten in Southeast Asian countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Pateros is a first-class municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines, known for raising ducks and making Balut.
Is Balut High in Protein?
Balut is said to have a lot of protein and calcium, both essential parts of a healthy diet. Balut has 14 grams of protein per 100 grams, which is 33% of the Reference Daily Intake set by the USDA. Balut is a street food popular in many places around the world, and it is often linked to the Philippines and Southeast Asia cultures, where it can be boiled or fried.
Nutritional Value of Balut Eggs
In Southeast Asia, balut eggs are a cheap source of protein that is easy to get. They are full of vitamin C and beta carotene, powerful antioxidants that help clean your bloodstream of free radicals and boost your immune system. They also have niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine, which allow your body uses energy. Each balut egg has 188 calories and 14 grams of protein, calcium, iron, and phosphorus. They are a healthy addition to a diet that is full of new things.
Conclusion
Once Balut is cooked, it’s best to eat it the same day. However, you can keep it in the fridge for 4–7 days if it stays below 41°F (5°C). To kill any bacteria, the inside of the egg must be heated to 165°F (74°C) or higher for at least 15 seconds. People think balut eggs came from China long ago, but they weren’t seen elsewhere except in Southeast Asia until the early 1800s.
Balut eggs are fertilized duck eggs that have been left to age for 12 to 20 days. The duck fetus inside an egg is less developed the younger it is. Some people in the Philippines think that the more developed a fetus you can eat, the more manly you must be, and others believe that balut eggs can make you more sexually attractive. Many pregnant women eat balut eggs because they think they are suitable for their health.
