BALOT / BALUT
A balut (or H?t v?t l?n in Vietnamese) is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. They are considered delicacies of Asia and especially the Philippines, China, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, baluts are mostly sold by street vendors at night in the regions where they are available. They are often served accompanied with consumption of beer. The Filipino and Malay word balut(balot) roughly translates to mean "wrapped".
The freshly bred eggs are taken away from the duck mother and tested for fertilization (Candle test) and firmness of the egg shell. After this selection in the traditional procedure (no electrical incubators) numerous bags or layers of husk or hay are put on the top of the eggs, to stimulate the body temperature of the mother duck (42 ). Additionally the layers can be doused with warm water several times a day. After six days another fertilization test can follow. Not fertilized eggs are sold as fresh eggs or salt-cured eggs. A further test takes place after 14 days. Fertilized but not developed eggs are cooked and sold as "Penoy" eggs. These eggs find also buyers. Eggs with dead embryos have no market value and are discarded.
Baluts are sold on markets or hawked up by peddlers ("balut men"). The street sellers in the cities appear usually after dark. For mockers the reason, why the balut vendors appear in the early evening, is quite simple: The darker the night, the higher the consumption of baluts. With twilight-break-in the shouts of vendors "Balu-uuut . Balu-uuut" fill the tropical night in a sing-song manner. The duck-eggs are transported in baskets and are hold warmly with hot towels. The Baluts are mostly offered in a bag made of newspaper with a portion of gritty salt in the bag-end. In March 2001, a balut egg was sold for approx. eight Pesos but nowadays, it can be sold at the price of twelve to eighteen pesos.
Eating a Balut needs a little training, because there is still liquid in the egg. First, crack the egg on the flat bottom, make a cavity in the size of a penny and remove the shell membrane. Drop in a pinch of salt and slurp the yellowish liquid (Allantois). Now the egg can be opened further. Again salt is added ? may be also vinegar - and now the wrapped, lizard-similar meat of the balut can be consumed. Experts are recommending the novice not to observe the brownish-black meat if possible not too serve. At the narrow end of the egg there is still a hardened protein rest which one can be eaten or removed.
Whats the taste of a balut? For some it is "disgusting". Other praise the taste comparable to crab meat. One author is writing, its a "combination of saltiness and tartness, softness and crunchiness, a sensation of sweetness, the degree of resistance to the bite, the viscosity and stickiness are the rewards". Certainly also the ingredients contribute to the taste formation ? comparable to fish. The humble balut is only eaten with salt or vinegar. Beer or Gin stimulate the digestion. But there are also attempts of taste refinement, by adding of Curry, Chilli, sweet-sour sauces and Soya-sauces. Creative gastronomes have developed gourmet versions with puff-paste or omelettes for the western taste and middle classes, rewarmable in the microwave.
A sample video of eating balot.
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