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What is balut

Balut or balut (Tag. Balut – wrapped) is a popular dish in the Philippines, as well as in Vietnam, Cambodia, other Southeast Asian countries and the southern provinces of China. It is a duck egg in which the fetus with beak, plumage and cartilage has already begun to form. Balut is boiled, steamed or grilled and eaten straight from the shell.

It is believed to have been introduced to the Philippines by the Chinese, according to various sources, between the 16th and 19th centuries, and has since become part of the traditional cuisine. Wherever Filipinos migrated in search of work, a large market for balut emerged.

Nowadays, balut is a popular evening snack. When the sun goes down, vendors roam the neighborhoods or set up stalls right on the sidewalk. Workers and partygoers turn to this protein-rich, cheap snack as their primary fuel for recuperation. Some say it’s a good aphrodisiac. Others would rather just not see what they’re eating; even those who love the flavor often try not to focus on the developing duckling and veined yolk. To eat a balut, Filipinos begin by peeling off the narrow end of the shell, cutting a small hole in the membrane, and drinking the amniotic fluid. They then season the egg with salt and vinegar, remove the shell, and eat the yolk and embryo.

Older eggs already contain quite recognizable ducklings, with perceptible bones and beaks. The younger the egg, the more delicate its contents, which some fans prefer to drink like a raw oyster. A less mature (and less popular) form of balut is known as mamatong (“floater”). In these eggs, the embryo floats on top of the albumen and yolk.

How balut is prepared

Balut (Photo: shutterstock)
Balut (Photo: shutterstock)

Balut is prepared from fertilized eggs that have already undergone the incubation process. The duration of incubation depends on the preference of a particular region, but usually ranges from 14 to 21 days. In the Philippines, duck eggs are usually incubated for 14 to 18 days. For most balut producers, 17 days is considered the ideal incubation period.

In the Cambodian version of pong tea khon, the egg is incubated for 18 to 20 days. In the Vietnamese version trứng vịt lộn, the egg is incubated from 19 to 21 days, during which time the embryo becomes quite dense and even tough.

Next, the prepared egg is boiled, steamed, grilled, stewed adobo style (Filipino meat stew) fried in omelets or even used as a filling in baked goods.

Attitudes in other countries

As more and more people around the world became aware of balut – the ethics of eating it have been questioned. Such concerns are most often related to the presence of a fertilized embryo in this dish, whose neural tube is already formed late in the incubation period, from which it is assumed that it is already beginning to feel pain. But this issue certainly requires detailed research.

A petition was filed in New York City to have balut removed from the menu at Maharlika restaurant. In response to this petition, Filipino New Yorkers created a counter petition asking them to leave this food item alone – a tradition, after all.

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