Page Title
The good thing about Balut (freshly boiled 'fertilized' duck egg)
Heidi M. Pascual*
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the
Year for the State of
Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the
Year for the State of
Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
By Heidi M. Pascual
`Balut (ba-loot) is a very important food that has made Filipinos very famous all over the world, It is a freshly
boiled duckling egg peddled throughout the streets in the Philippines, especially at night. Balut is an incubated egg
with a nearly developed embryo (17 to 19 days) that comes from Mallard duck, locally known as ‘Pateros itik’
(Anas platyrynchos) in the Philippines.
Balut is eaten with a pinch of salt, sometimes with ground black pepper, although some balut eaters like chili
and vinegar. The broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled, then the contents
may be eaten, except the cartilage-like whites.
What makes balut famous and often notorious is how the Western media describe it and use it to scare or
shock people. Balut is a taboo food item in some Western cultures because the egg has an embryo in it, often
complete with soft and dark feathers! In a way, there is a “baby” in it, and Western folks hate looking at cooked
“babies” regardless of its kind. So, to eat something like it – an unborn fetus -- must be shocking, shameful and
reprehensible. It is appalling just to think about doing so, right? Balut-eating has been featured repeatedly in some
television shows to disgust contestants and challenge their stomachs, such as in “Extreme Cuisine,” “Fear
Factor,” “The Amazing Race Asia2,” “Survivor: Palau,” and Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew
Zimmern.”
To Filipinos and most Asians, however, balut is a very important source of protein which is much cheaper
`Balut (ba-loot) is a very important food that has made Filipinos very famous all over the world, It is a freshly
boiled duckling egg peddled throughout the streets in the Philippines, especially at night. Balut is an incubated egg
with a nearly developed embryo (17 to 19 days) that comes from Mallard duck, locally known as ‘Pateros itik’
(Anas platyrynchos) in the Philippines.
Balut is eaten with a pinch of salt, sometimes with ground black pepper, although some balut eaters like chili
and vinegar. The broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled, then the contents
may be eaten, except the cartilage-like whites.
What makes balut famous and often notorious is how the Western media describe it and use it to scare or
shock people. Balut is a taboo food item in some Western cultures because the egg has an embryo in it, often
complete with soft and dark feathers! In a way, there is a “baby” in it, and Western folks hate looking at cooked
“babies” regardless of its kind. So, to eat something like it – an unborn fetus -- must be shocking, shameful and
reprehensible. It is appalling just to think about doing so, right? Balut-eating has been featured repeatedly in some
television shows to disgust contestants and challenge their stomachs, such as in “Extreme Cuisine,” “Fear
Factor,” “The Amazing Race Asia2,” “Survivor: Palau,” and Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew
Zimmern.”
To Filipinos and most Asians, however, balut is a very important source of protein which is much cheaper
than chicken, pork or beef. It is a delicacy that when eaten together by a family or friends
gives a gathering that extra zing. Most importantly, it is a major source of income for many
poor people whose lives depend on selling balut everyday on the streets. This is why I am
writing this little story. Balut may be unappealing to my friends in Madison, Wisconsin, but
it is a lifeline for many Filipino children who want to go to school and get out of poverty.
Everyday, it is common to see street peddlers selling all kinds of stuff (on a triycycle or on
foot), mainly food (fresh meat and fish, vegetables and fruits), daing and tinapa (dried and
smoked fish), ice cream and other cold treats, fish balls (with all kinds of sauces), and
taho (soft cooked tofu) with sago in syrup. Sometimes there is no need to go to the market
because the daily basics are right before your door, at very minimal mark-up prices. But
the balut vendor is always something else. Most often I see young kids (8-12 years old)
carrying a large basket of just-boiled balut eggs, some chicaron (fried pork skin) in plastic
bags, and a large bottle of spiced vinegar. Filipinos love balut, sprinkled with a little salt,
and sometimes dipped in a sauce concoction of chilis, pepper, garlic and vinegar.
One day, I joined some family members on the street in front of our house as they
called a balut vendor, a 12-year old girl named Jennylyn, accompanied by her little sister
(right). We bought some balut and penoy (regular duck eggs) and ate right there and then, a
tradition not uncommon to Pinoys. When asked why she is selling balut, Jennylyn
responded it is their livelihood, and as the school year is at hand, she said she needs to
help her parents raise money for her school needs. The girls continue to help the family
sell balut some days even during school days. They only get commission for selling balut,
gives a gathering that extra zing. Most importantly, it is a major source of income for many
poor people whose lives depend on selling balut everyday on the streets. This is why I am
writing this little story. Balut may be unappealing to my friends in Madison, Wisconsin, but
it is a lifeline for many Filipino children who want to go to school and get out of poverty.
Everyday, it is common to see street peddlers selling all kinds of stuff (on a triycycle or on
foot), mainly food (fresh meat and fish, vegetables and fruits), daing and tinapa (dried and
smoked fish), ice cream and other cold treats, fish balls (with all kinds of sauces), and
taho (soft cooked tofu) with sago in syrup. Sometimes there is no need to go to the market
because the daily basics are right before your door, at very minimal mark-up prices. But
the balut vendor is always something else. Most often I see young kids (8-12 years old)
carrying a large basket of just-boiled balut eggs, some chicaron (fried pork skin) in plastic
bags, and a large bottle of spiced vinegar. Filipinos love balut, sprinkled with a little salt,
and sometimes dipped in a sauce concoction of chilis, pepper, garlic and vinegar.
One day, I joined some family members on the street in front of our house as they
called a balut vendor, a 12-year old girl named Jennylyn, accompanied by her little sister
(right). We bought some balut and penoy (regular duck eggs) and ate right there and then, a
tradition not uncommon to Pinoys. When asked why she is selling balut, Jennylyn
responded it is their livelihood, and as the school year is at hand, she said she needs to
help her parents raise money for her school needs. The girls continue to help the family
sell balut some days even during school days. They only get commission for selling balut,
as they get their baskets of baluts from a local balut entrepreneur in
Manila. The sad thing is, there is too much risk for the little girls peddling
balut at night. It’s like knocking on doors of people you really don’t know. I
could only hope for their safety.
I know that there are hundreds of thousands more Filipino children like
Jennylyn who sell balut everyday on the streets of Metro Manila and the
rest of the Islands, whether urban centers or rural districts. They cater to
the Filipino taste and their need for cheaper food alternatives. While this
picture might be troublesome to foreigners, there is hardly anything the
locals can do about it. Balut selling by children has become a much better
alternative than throwing them on the streets doing nothing,or worse,
getting preyed by non-caring adults.
Manila. The sad thing is, there is too much risk for the little girls peddling
balut at night. It’s like knocking on doors of people you really don’t know. I
could only hope for their safety.
I know that there are hundreds of thousands more Filipino children like
Jennylyn who sell balut everyday on the streets of Metro Manila and the
rest of the Islands, whether urban centers or rural districts. They cater to
the Filipino taste and their need for cheaper food alternatives. While this
picture might be troublesome to foreigners, there is hardly anything the
locals can do about it. Balut selling by children has become a much better
alternative than throwing them on the streets doing nothing,or worse,
getting preyed by non-caring adults.
| Balut Preparation Balut-making is native to the Philippines. A similar preparation is known in China as maodan (Chinese: 毛蛋; pinyin: máodàn; literally "feathered egg"), and Chinese traders and migrants are said to have brought the idea of eating fertilized duck eggs back from the Philippines. However, the knowledge and craft of balut-making has been localized by the balut-makers (magbabalut). Today, balut production has not been mechanized in favor of the traditional production by hand. Although balut are produced throughout the Philippines, balut-makers in Pateros are renowned for their careful selection and incubation of the eggs. |
| Fertilized duck eggs are kept warm in the sun and stored in baskets to retain warmth. After nine days, the eggs are held to a light to reveal the embryo inside. Approximately eight days later the balut are ready to be cooked, sold, and eaten. Vendors sell cooked balut out of buckets of sand (used to retain warmth) accompanied by small packets of salt. Uncooked balut are rarely sold in Southeast Asia. In the United States, Asian markets occasionally carry uncooked balut eggs. The cooking process is identical to that of hard-boiled chicken eggs, and baluts are enjoyed while still warm. Duck eggs that are not properly developed after nine to twelve days are sold as penoy, which look, smell and taste similar to a regular hard-boiled egg. In Filipino cuisine, these are occasionally beaten and fried, similar to scrambled eggs, and served with a vinegar dip. The age of the egg before it can be cooked is a matter of local preference. In the Philippines, the ideal balut is 17 days old, at which point it is said to be balut sa puti ("wrapped in white"). The chick inside is not old enough to show its beak, feathers or claws and the bones are undeveloped. The Vietnamese prefer their balut matured from 19 days up to 21 days, when the chick is old enough to be recognizable as a baby duck and has bones that will be firm but tender when cooked. In Cambodia, it is eaten while it is still warm in its shell. It is served with nothing more than a little garnish, which is usually a mixture of lime juice and ground pepper. (From Wikepedia) |
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