This week’s Travel Tip by @TLWH features, the stuff that good horror flicks are made of. It’s gruesome and gory .. it’s a snack from the Philippines called the Balut.
Balut is one of the most popular treats in the Philippines amongst Filipinos. It’s found mainly towards the end of an afternoon and at night in many markets, and from vendors with carts along the streets.
Balut is steamed or boiled duck eggs, with a difference. These eggs are fertilized and have a growing embryo inside. Sold in stages of development, 12 days, 14 days and 16 days the eggs take on a near gourmet quality to the Pinoy pallet.
The most popular way to eat balut is to tap a hole on top of the egg, and to suck out the contents in several stages. Many mix this with adding a chili vinegar dressing into the hole, or plain salt.
The egg shell is then peeled back as they get closer to larger parts of the egg, depending on its gestation period.
To the Filipino this is a food of taste, more than a visual feast. I’ve yet to see anyone actually savor the physical look of balut. And, no wonder.
Upon opening up a balut egg completely, one can see the duck fetus developing inside. Depending on the stage of development it can amass to little more than a ball of yolk, veins and gulp, right up to yellow yolk, red veins, black body and pink head.
I’ve seen balut at it’s worst with feathers included. And yes, I’ve witnessed someone eat it too. For now though, feast your eyes on a 14 and 17 day dissected balut egg!
Balut is meant to be an aphrodisiac. It’s often found in drinking places with beer involved, so maybe that explains some things. However it’s most popularly found at night markets and eaten as a snack, or special treat.
One balut egg costs about 15 pesos. (15 Peso = US 35 cents)
I see Balut just about everywhere in The Philippines. It’s something locals will ask tourists about, as a friendly tease. “have you eaten Balut,” and “have you tasted Durian?” If the tourist shakes their head and their is a Balut stand nearby the locals will crowd around and laugh as the disgusted tourist sees the nearly formed duck fetus.
This week’s guest writer:
The who, how, why and what?“A guy traveling the world in search of a place called home”. My name is Dave. I grew up in a fairly extreme family environment, in other words not so nice. I spent the greater portion of my life trying to leave a place I always knew was never my home. Working, saving, surviving and dreaming. My website is a hanging wall for my photography, a shelf for my stories and a desk for my journal. Maybe something in my story can help inspire someone or motivate them to get through some rough times or push forward in their lives. If I can do this, so can anyone else! Website: The Longest Way Home Follow Dave on Twitter: @TLWH
Maybe they can coat the balut in batter like a fried Mars bar? 😛
arrgh.. gross!
We actually have that. Balut fried in an orange batter. 🙂
ooh i tried balut a few years ago in cebu. loved it so much, actually ate five! was fascinated by how the duck fetuses in each egg were in different stages of development. but i don’t think it worked as an aphrodisiac 😀
oh sean .. why am i not surprised?!!
I like my ducks fully grown and preferably roasted please. 🙂
Me too!
I’ve seen Balut from the Fear Factor days… But I think it’s one egg on earth I’ll never dare myself to eat – maybe only if I was offered a RM100k. Or RM99k la…
really? was it on FEAR FACTOR?!!
My conscience got the best of me when I tried my first one. Couldn’t go ahead and finish it when I saw the eyes and beak. So sue me if I’ve got a heart.
yea, i’d be hard pressed to eat that too myself.
I don’t have a heart to eat it, Meiiii……It’s like eating embrio alive…oh dear…
me too.. so sad 🙁
I know that it shouldn’t be any different from eating duck, but I still feel sad when I look at the pictures. 🙁
yea, me too. i won’t eat it. i can’t.
Ew.
EW EW EW EW EW.
>_<
agree!
Haha yea….it’s a little…… Hm but I’ve head about this. Actually Korea has ths too. But I neve tried it…. I’m too chicken!! Haha. Awsome article
juno.
really, what’s it called in your country babe?
hmmm, its the feathers that really put me off. imagine chewing on a feather boa. bleaghhh. but apart from that, theoretically it IS like eating duck only. so if can get past the feathers, well, just think of it as suckling duck….no different from its porcine infant counterpart.
the WHOLE thing puts me off.. chis 😛
These stuff is considered a delicacy and even served as part of the 4 seasons in Cambodian weddings. Same reason why some people eat shark fins, century eggs, frogs and suckling pigs.
it’s still disgusting.. the way it looks.. feathers?!
I wanna have balut!!!!
oh totally sick gross GROSSSSS!
my bro just came back from the Philippines and he had lotsa baluts! yeeee…
eeeeee…!
Nice! Balut is really an aquired taste. 🙂
sure or not? i want to see you at it! embryo and all!
looks okay and edible, but when see the real balut..don think i can eat it..looks so groossss~
LOL, makes me weak in the knees too. like FBB said .. i draw the line at feathers! heck, at the entire idea actually !
seen this in Fear Factor… I wouldn’t eat this in thousand years! There are lives already
sama camp laaaa !
Hi Everyone,
Really glad you enjoyed & disliked the Balut post!
It’s certainly not my favorite Filipino food either! The idea of crunching bones and sticky feathers does not set my pallet on fire!
Glad to see there are some others thinking the same way 🙂
Many thanks to Cumi & Ciki for asking me to do this guest post.
You have a great site guys, keeping going!
Dave
hi Dave! – thank u for covering a topic that many ppl are curious about but don’t really want to experience 1st hand.. sorry to put you through the photography but can i just say.. you did and AWESOME job! cheers mate:)
balut is available also in Laos, in Luang Prabang.
I’d rather ate tons of bukopie than this thing. my aunt ate it once. and she says taste like an egg with some meat.
I mean, it just look gross.