The most unique of all the foods in this section, though, was balut (pronounced “buh-loot”).
Balut is a fertilized duck embryo, which Filipino people will boil or steam. It looks like a hard-boiled egg from the outside, but once you tap the shell with your spoon and crack the egg open, you will find a baby bird curled up inside! Balut is commonly eaten with vinegar and salt to enhance its mild egg flavor.
While working up the nerve to try balut, I felt a sense of fear and anticipation, like I was about to jump from a high diving board! My friend at the food stand peeled a small hole into an egg before quickly dumping its contents into his mouth. After chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, he raised his eyebrows and said, “It’s not bad!” Feeling emboldened, I decided it was time for me to make the leap and try my balut.
The opening I made into my egg immediately exposed a purple, jelly-like duck resting on top of yellow yolk. The yolk was veiny, firm and much larger than the yolk of a regular hard-boiled egg. “Don’t look at it too long,” urged the vendor. With my eyes closed, I drank some of its watery contents but stopped short of eating the whole bird. I was still too afraid! What I did taste of the balut, though, was milder than I expected. The texture was smooth and jam-like, its juice like a warm, watery egg-drop soup. “I think I’ve had enough!” I laughed and handed the rest to my friend.
I later learned that balut is usually eaten in a dark room, and swiftly! This is to help people avoid the unpleasant sight of a partially developed bird.
