Balut Fear Is Not A Factor
This post is dedicated to Puplecupcake and Shionge who are curious lot about our local balut.
It can be steamed, fried or cooked the Adobo way but the most popular one is the steamed balut and is available in the streets either by the walking vendor or by the man in a bicycle. Sale starts at around 6:00 pm, and until now, I still haven't figured out why they sell it only during the night. Perhaps because of this, the balut is also a popular "pulutan" (eaten while drinking beer) among the men. The steamed balut is eaten with a pinch of salt or dippped in vinegar, I prefer the latter.
Way before it was popularized internationally through the show Fear Factor the balut is a famous delicacy in all Philippines cities and towns, and I remember well when I was a small kid, a song was written about this fertilized duck egg.
It is a soft boiled egg, and after cracking a small portion of the shell, it's broth is sipped before eating the egg yolk and the young chick inside and a hard white part called "bato" is thrown away. The size of the chick depends on the incubation period, so it's best to tell "Manong" the vendor your preference because there's always a penoy (steamed duck egg, it's the regular egg without the chick).
Our most popular balut producers are the ones in Pateros because of their careful preparation of the product. Mas masarap talaga! (Very delicious!) Balut, anyone?
It can be steamed, fried or cooked the Adobo way but the most popular one is the steamed balut and is available in the streets either by the walking vendor or by the man in a bicycle. Sale starts at around 6:00 pm, and until now, I still haven't figured out why they sell it only during the night. Perhaps because of this, the balut is also a popular "pulutan" (eaten while drinking beer) among the men. The steamed balut is eaten with a pinch of salt or dippped in vinegar, I prefer the latter.
Way before it was popularized internationally through the show Fear Factor the balut is a famous delicacy in all Philippines cities and towns, and I remember well when I was a small kid, a song was written about this fertilized duck egg.
It is a soft boiled egg, and after cracking a small portion of the shell, it's broth is sipped before eating the egg yolk and the young chick inside and a hard white part called "bato" is thrown away. The size of the chick depends on the incubation period, so it's best to tell "Manong" the vendor your preference because there's always a penoy (steamed duck egg, it's the regular egg without the chick).
Our most popular balut producers are the ones in Pateros because of their careful preparation of the product. Mas masarap talaga! (Very delicious!) Balut, anyone?
haha true sa pateros talaga masarap ang balut. malapit lang kami dun kaya tambak ang nagtitinda ng mga balut kaya kahit di gabi meron.
Posted by Anonymous | 5/28/2006 03:34:00 PM
wow! patikim ka nman, he he:)
Posted by j | 5/28/2006 03:46:00 PM
Oh, Jairam, I could almost smell it thru the computers...lol
My husband eats the chick! And he will stick out the tiny beak out of his mouth to make everyone laugh.
Thanks for this post. I did watch it on Fear Factor and thought, why would they be gross out about that when it is so popular here and in the Philippines...lol
I don't know if I could ever eat one...who knows! If I do, I will let you know, for sure!
Posted by purplecupcake | 5/28/2006 05:23:00 PM
Now you're making me crave for one too. Yumm...
BTW, won't those images of the duck fetus gross out some of your readers? Hehehe :-D
Posted by Anonymous | 5/28/2006 05:31:00 PM
ms purple, kinda gross kasi the way it looks kaya other people don't want to try it. ako din it took some time before I was able to eat one ;P
Posted by j | 5/28/2006 07:56:00 PM
oo nga mr sngl, tagal ko pinagisipan if i'll post the pics. sayang naman, walang ganito kina Shionge at Purple eh. they wanted to see one ;)
Posted by j | 5/28/2006 08:00:00 PM
Thanks for the post Jairam but personally I will not attempt to it. Our pal Hayden whose wife Tancy is from Philippines told us it is a delicacy like what you've mentioned.
But honestly I still dun understand why didn't they let the chick hatch and become a duckling?
I think this post is every educational for all of us. Thank you indeed.
Posted by Shionge | 5/28/2006 10:35:00 PM
naku,Jairam,sorry...
hindi ako kumakain ng balut...
pero masarap daw talaga ano?
tapos na pala ang homewrok ko..paki check mo na,ma`am.. hehehe
happy monday!
Posted by ghee | 5/28/2006 11:38:00 PM
you're very much welcome Shionge. I cant tell why they wont let the ducks hatch, that's something I need to research on. :)
Posted by j | 5/28/2006 11:49:00 PM
sure ghee, check ko na now :)
Posted by j | 5/28/2006 11:50:00 PM
hi jane,
don't know if it is true that "balut" is cholesterol- rich...i've actually consumed 4x in a row way way before and I remember got somewhat dizzy afterwards..now, I only eat 1x , in a while, if the balut vendor , (who rides in a bike ,balut in styro container, not basket anymore..he has upgraded his business!) did not get passed our house before we got to run outside and shout... "BALUT!" ;-)
To those who haven't tried eating one, here's the ABCs , first sip the juice with some salt , second eat the yellow egg part , and third (with eyes closed) put the whole embryo(should be balut sa puti) in your mouth ,with some salt again and start munching...disecting the embryo before eating is NOT advisable... and if the balut is old enough (not "balut sa puti" anymore, it becomes a FEAR FACTOR already! he! he!...you can try to jumble the ABCs if you like..;-) -omski (not from Pateros!)
Posted by Anonymous | 5/29/2006 07:54:00 AM
jane, i actually forgot this important tip...before sipping the juice, you need to know what part of the balut has the juice in it..so looking at the egg vertically , you will see a top(narrower) and bottom part...the juice is in the bottom part so you need to open that part first..just "bang" that part in any hard object, table edge, stairs, gate, dashboard if your in a car ;-) i haven't seen a balut vendor with a balut-opener yet...;-)ha! ha!
Posted by Anonymous | 5/29/2006 08:05:00 AM
one of my first five posts in blogging, i irked my colleagues' sensitivities when i posted pics of balut. they were so disgusted...big time!
but what the heck, i love it so much that i dont mind eating it on the morning, for breakfast. hahaha.
Posted by Owen | 5/29/2006 09:53:00 AM
I don't eat the chick. I always give it to somebody else. I only like the broth and the yolk.
Posted by Anonymous | 5/29/2006 12:08:00 PM
tnx for the tip omski. i forgot to write that one huh ;)
Posted by j | 5/29/2006 01:07:00 PM
hey papa owen, grossed out some of my readers too. ajay won't read this post, he he. masarap nga din for bfast ang balut ;)
naku ms. niceheart, that's how I started eating the balut, yolk and broth muna until finally sabi ko, WTH? kainin kona lahat to ;)
Posted by j | 5/29/2006 01:12:00 PM
I love balut. I actually eat it with a fork and even play with the duck. Disgusting, huh! :)
Posted by Anonymous | 5/29/2006 08:07:00 PM
minsan I do that too toe :)
Posted by j | 5/29/2006 08:53:00 PM
im not a balut fan, but i can vouch for its taste. masarap..or should i say malinamnam! i saw a restaurant somewhere in malate devoted entirely to balut..i wonder if it is still in business?
Posted by Anonymous | 5/29/2006 11:32:00 PM
What's the name of the resto? I'll check it out minsan. Sobrang linamnam nga kasi it's rich in protein, and bad cholesterol :(
Posted by j | 5/30/2006 12:18:00 AM
I love balut, although I haven't eaten one in years. Just don't trust the ones they sell at the oriental stores here. No telling how long they've had it. I like mine with just a little bit of salt, and the chick not too big.
Posted by JMom | 5/30/2006 04:58:00 AM
good morning jmom ;) that' s how I like my balut to be too, with a not too big chick.
Posted by j | 5/30/2006 05:59:00 AM
he he, iba talaga tayong mga pinoy :)
Posted by j | 5/31/2006 08:11:00 AM
hi, where can I find balut in Singapore? Never saw it before here.
Posted by Anonymous | 10/02/2006 06:32:00 PM
This is very interesting site...
» » »
Posted by Anonymous | 11/14/2006 11:16:00 PM