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The Balut ( , ; also spelled as balot) are the fertilized Embryogenesis egg embryo that is boiled or steamed and eaten from the shell. It is commonly sold as street food, often eaten with salt and vinegar, most notably in the Philippines, Cambodia (, paung tea kaun), and Vietnam (), and also occasionally in Thailand ().
The length of incubation before the egg is cooked is a matter of local preference, but generally ranges from two to three weeks.
Balut is common street food in the Philippines, Vietnam, and other localities, and is also sold in stores and malls. It is a relatively cheap source of protein and calcium. Balut was introduced to the Philippines by the Chinese in 1565, and since then balut has been included as a traditional part of the culture. Wherever Filipinos migrated for work, a large market for balut would develop. Controversies arose as knowledge of the food spread around the Southeast Asian countries and then globally. People have questioned the ethics of eating balut. Ethical concerns are most often attributed to the presence of a fertilized embryo within the dish, given the fact that the egg has not yet hatched nor been given the chance to hatch. There are also ethical concerns as to whether the embryos can feel pain at the stages balut tends to be boiled.
The duration of egg incubation is a matter of local preference. In the Philippines, balut is generally incubated for 14 to 18 days before being boiled for consumption. At about 14 to 16 days of incubation, the embryo floats on top of the egg white and yolk, and the balut is called "mamatong". For most balut makers, the ideal incubation is said to be 17 days old.
There are other versions of balut. In the Cambodian version, pong tea khon, the egg is incubated for 18 to 20 days. In the Vietnamese version, trứng vịt lộn, the egg is incubated for 19 to 21 days, when the embryo is old enough to be recognizable as a baby duck and has that will be firm but tender when cooked. Some men prefer to eat an embryo that is much more developed, "...so that it looks gross, because that is a way to prove your manhood."
Temperature has a significant impact on the final taste and texture of the cooked balut. Warm temperatures of change the taste and texture of the yolk by making it more grainy. This can be attributed to the changes in proteins, and their partial denaturation, during the heating and incubation process. When boiling or cooking eggs, the white of the egg tends to solidify because the proteins are denatured in an irreversible reaction and turn from transparent to an opaque white."Cooking and Chemical Changes." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. February 29, 2016. Physical and chemical changes in the final balut product can also be attributed to microbial infections and the rate that microbes infect the balut at various stages.
There are many chemical changes that occur inside the duck egg as it is being processed, which can vary depending on how or what it is cooked with. While boiling, added salt can contribute to a number of chemical changes; it seems to increase the proportional weight of egg white within the shell, which can be due to the weight differences between the embryo and the egg white itself. Added salt can also increase the hardness of the egg yolk and affect the overall texture of the final balut product. Other chemical changes observed in nutrient content of the duck egg as it is processed are a slight decrease in the amount of available amino acids, water-soluble vitamins, and minerals after the processing is complete.
In folk medicine, according to popular Vietnamese belief, these eggs are a nutritious and restorative food for pregnant or delivering women.
In the Philippines, balut has recently entered haute cuisine by being served as appetizers in restaurants, cooked adobo style, fried in , or even used as filling in baked pastry. In Vietnam, balut is eaten with a pinch of pepper salt with lime/kumquat or ginger and rau răm (also known as laksa leaf). The dish "trứng vịt lộn" can be served as boiled balut or grilled balut. In Cambodia, balut is eaten while still warm in the shell and served with nothing more than a little garnish, which is usually a mixture of lime juice and ground pepper.
A similar preparation is known in China as maodan (), modan (), wangjidan (), or huozhuzi (). Chinese traders and migrants are said to have brought the idea of eating fertilized duck eggs to 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.
Many vendors sell cooked balut from 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 cuisine markets occasionally carry uncooked balut eggs. Alternatively, they can be ordered by mail. The cooking process is identical to that of hard-boiled chicken eggs, and baluts are eaten while still warm.
Duck eggs that are not properly developed after nine to twelve days are sold as pinoy, 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.
File:15DayBalutEgg.png|Fifteen-day-old balut egg dipped in a mixture of hot sauce and vinegar
File:Chinese Balut sold in Nanjing 20100115.jpg|Shelled and fried balut
File:Balut Egg.jpg|Balut
File:BALUT.jpg|Underaged balut with visible chick
File:07441jfCuisine Breads Fruits Baliuag Landmarks Bulacanfvf 27.jpg|Pinoy
Balut is recognized as a national food of the Philippines. It is commonly sold as a street food and served as an appetizer in restaurants. The taste of balut is similar to chicken soup, and it has an unusual texture.
Balut is found in some countries and locations of North America. While it cannot be found in every store in North America, specialty stores such as T&T — and, in particular, Filipino stores in the Greater Vancouver area — often sell balut. In the United States, growers such as Metzer Farms specialize in balut production, spreading the knowledge of balut and its awareness.
One reason it may not be found or consumed as frequently in North America is that the majority of people outside of Southeast Asia still recognize balut as a novel and taboo food and are often anxious about trying it.
Some countries and locations will serve balut raw, although this is not a common practice. "Raw", in this sense, could mean the balut was lightly boiled or cooked very briefly. This is potentially dangerous, since it increases the risk of spoiling and of ingesting harmful microorganisms.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, balut can be found in the streets, where vendors operate on the back of motorbikes in alleys. Balut is served as quail eggs. First, it is steamed and then served with salt, chili, and pepper.
According to the FDA Food Code, balut can perish over time or due to temperature changes. After being cooked, balut should be handled either at and above or kept at or below .
While most countries have specific regulations and standards for food, Canada has certain egg regulations pertaining to what products can be labelled as an egg. Balut eggs are not subjected to the egg regulations in Canada under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, meaning they do not require the specific labeling requirements and rules of the traditional chicken egg.
Several groups wish to ban balut.Matejowsky, T. (2013). The Incredible, Edible Balut. Food, Culture & Society, 16(3), 387–404. A petition has been raised to get 5,000 signatures to have balut labeled "fertilized duck egg with embryo" and taken off the menu in the Maharlika restaurant, New York. , the restaurant was selling balut for $5 each. As a response to this petition, Filipino New Yorkers have created a counterpetition, asking to leave the food item alone.
In the United States, eggs are sold at Asian markets. However, to get the right age eggs and to ensure freshness, it is recommended that they be purchased from a professional or an egg vendor at Asian farmers markets.
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