Want an authentic experience that will make you feel like a legit Philippine expert? Well, it’s time to be brave and confront the infamously bizarre street snack that is the Pinoy balut. This centuries-old egg preparation is a beloved late-night food fare amongst locals since it’s considered yummy and insanely nutritious.
We’re talking powerhouse nutrients, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline packed into one small embryo! So basically, locals consider this a superfood cocktail in egg form. But as videos and reactions spread across the internet, balut is going viral for a different reason – its shock factor.
Foreigners and non-Pinoys can’t seem to comprehend WHY we happily most on boiled duck fetuses. Sure, we Filipinos are used to considering this as an absolute treat, whether enjoyed with a cold beer or as an afternoon protein-packed merienda. But outsiders just see it as bizarre baby ducks in an eggshell!
Let’s get to know more about this in the post, PLUS how to buy one using the Tagalog language. Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
What Is Balut?
Balut is essentially a fertilized developing duck egg that is boiled and eaten from the shell. It originated conceptually from ancient Chinese tea egg recipes. But balut migrated and transformed into the snack we know today – a classic Pinoy street food!
The key to balut is catching the fertilized eggs (also called balut na puti) at just the right stage of incubation before preparing and eating. Around 14-21 days is ideal. At this point, you can peel open the hardboiled egg to reveal…a poached baby duck still in embryo form developing inside!
More specifically, inside the balut, you’ll find:
- Duck broth encasing the embryo
- The yolk and whites starting to harden
- Tiny identifiable bones
- Feathery vestiges
- Possibly a diminutive beak/features!
It looks alarming to first-timers. But once you crack through the mental block, that balut broth is actually rich and flavorful after seasoning. A savory soup surrounding the hearty yolk and soft duck fetus flesh…what’s not to love?! At least for diehard balut fans!
Where To Buy Balut In The Philippines?
Good news – balut is ubiquitous in the Philippines. Particularly once dusk hits, you’ll find balut vendors popping up on busy streets, near public markets, and around transportation hubs. Listen for their signature singsong call – “Baluuuuuuut!” – and you’ll locate these savvy egg peddlers catering to nighttime balut cravings.
Manila’s iconic Quiapo district is full of side street balut stalls to offer eggs fresh from the warmer. Up north, Angeles City in Pampanga also overflows with balut ready for nightlife goers. And you can’t visit Cebu without sampling roadside balut from beloved grandmother vendors along Colon Street downtown.
Price-wise, balut is almost always super affordable at just P15-P25 per egg. A no-brainer impulse buy! And the ideal times that Pinoys typically consume hot salty balut? After dinner, from 8-11 pm is peak balut snack time when bars start bumping. It also makes for a protein-rich afternoon merienda around 3-5 pm if you want to avoid late-night tourist bedtime!
How Does The Pinoy Balut Taste?
Ready to finally eat balut? First-timers, take a deep breath and lower your expectations. Yes, visually, balut can look alarming – seeing feathers, bones, and an embryo staring back once you peel open the shell is…a lot. But focus on the flavors!
Inside that cracked balut shell awaits a rich savory broth encasing the hearty yolk and soft flesh inside. Slurp up some of the nutritious soup, then season with salt, pepper, or spiced vinegar to cut the gamier egg flavors. Now spoon out the yolk and fetus to experience a unique texture reminiscent of bone marrow or creamy mushrooms. Not bad, right?
The key is keeping an open mind with balut. Don’t just gaze in horror at the tiny duck body parts floating in the broth! Taste without prejudice and discover those delicious umami notes. The broth makes a soothing hot soup on cold nights, while the yolk and embryo offer substantial snacking fats and protein.
How To Eat Balut
Alright, so you managed to get your hands on a fresh hot balut straight from the street vendor, hubby. Now what? It’s time for a crash course in properly preparing and eating fertilized duck eggs!
Step 1: Season Your Balut
Before cracking, prepare a mix of salt, pepper, chili flakes, or a soy/vinegar dip. This counterbalances the rich umami flavor of the embryo.
Step 2: Gently Crack The Shell
Tap the top of the balut till the shell fractures, then carefully peel it open to reveal the soupy contents within.
Step 3: Drink The Broth
Your first balut sip – slurp up the hot nutritious broth surrounding the coddled duck embryo. Savory and satisfying!
Step 4: Scoop Out The Contents
Use a spoon or fork to gently prize the yolk and fetus out from the bottom half of the shell.
Step 5: Add Extra Seasoning
Sprinkle additional salt, pepper, or spiced vinegar directly onto the exposed egg/embryo to balance the earthy flavors.
Step 6: Take Your First Bite!
Moment of truth – sink your teeth into the balut yolk or body. Focus more on the texture and taste rather than just the appearance!
Step 7: Continue Snacking and Sipping
Keep scooping up mouthfuls of yolk and soft embryo parts, along with sips of the broth, until you polish off your inaugural balut!
Once you get over any initial hesitation, eating balut becomes second nature. Now you have the know-how to unlock authentic Pinoy credibility by conquering this technical street snack like a local! Bottoms up to your new food fearlessness!
Tagalog Phrases For Buying Balut
Heading out after dinner to track down iconic Filipino street fare like balut? Make sure you’re armed with the necessary vocabulary to seamlessly order this delicious oddity in fluent Tagalog! wink emoji
“Kuya, balut po”
Translation: “Brother, balut, please.”
Polite go-to phrase for getting the attention of the balut vendor (often an elderly man twisting between busy sidewalk traffic) to purchase some fertilized egg snackage.
“Magkano po isa?”
Translation: “How much for one?”
The standard question to ask is the price per individual balut. Usually costs just P15-P25 per egg. A great budget snack best paired with cold beer!
“Maanghang, please.”
Translation: “Spicy, please.”
Request, if you prefer your balut, dashed with extra chili/pepper seasoning for a fiery kick. They’ll happily spice it up for more heat-loving palates!
“Asin lang kuya/ate.”
Translation: “Just salt please kuya/ate.”
Let the balut maker know if you simply want to keep it classic with just a sprinkle of salty flavor on those eggs. No need to complicate pure balut deliciousness!
With those key balut buying phrases tucked away for your next Pinoy food adventure, you’ll earn street cred blending right into order and enjoy this quintessential Filipino fare from welcoming street vendors left and right. Now you just gotta work on stomaching the sight of eaten duck embryos!
Ready To Try Cooked Balut?
Ding, ding, ding! If you made it through this entire balut exploration without throwing up, congratulations — you can now count yourself an honorary Pinoy ready for even more daring Filipino food quests! From swallowing the sight of feathery egg fetuses to sipping rich embryonic broth, you confronted balut with an open mind and cast iron gut. Mad respect!
Clearly, the Philippines offers no shortage of amusing and beguiling food phenomena for visitors to experience if they dare to dive in head first…er, beak first with balut! But this is just one small taste of the colorful atmosphere and culture of the country.
Want to dive deeper into the fabulous world of Filipino sensibilities beyond just cooing at their bizarre baby duck snacks? Well, you’re in luck – the Ling app makes grasping the Tagalog language and culture fun and accessible for beginners.
With short lessons and digestible vocab coaching in Tagalog and other foreign languages, Ling lets you level up by speaking like a true local. It’s the perfect supplement after testing your travel bravery in conquering unusual foods like balut in the Metro. Download it for FREE now!
