Balut (Street Food)

BALUT!!

Ang mga Pilipino ay nahihilig sa balut, bukod sa kaakit-akit ang itsura nito, o para sa mga banyaga ay mahirap kainin ang mga pagkain tulad nito, pero ito ay sadyang masarap at malinamnam. Bukod sa ito ay kinahihiligan, ang pagtitinda ng balut ay ang pinagkakakitaan ng marami nating kababayang Pinoy. May mga pinapalad sa kanila na nakakapagtapos ng kanilang mga anak sa pag-aaral ng dahil lang sa pagtitinda ng nito.

Madami ngayon ang na aadik sa balut at nauuna na dito ang mga pinoy, dahil talagang kahit saang parte ng Pilipinas ay kilala ang balut. Para sa mga hindi nakakaalam ng balut, ito ay isang uri ng pagkaing makikita sa kalye. Ito ay pagkaing masarap ngunit mura. Kaya naman madaming nagkaka gusto sa ito.

Popular ang balut, na ngayon ay nahihiligan na rin ng mga banyaga, at isa na rin ito sa mga dinadayo ng mga ito kapag sila ay pumapasyal dito sa Pilipinas. Ang balut ay itlog ng itik na may sisiw na sa loob nito, hindi man kaakit-akit ang itsura nito kapag binuksan mo na ang balut, pero kung ito ay iyong titikman ay talagang masarap at nakakadagdag ng dugo. Umabot na rin ito sa ibang bansa at ginawa pa itong kompetisyon na paunahan makaubos at paramihan ng makakaing balut.

HOW TO EAT BALUT?

Place the egg in an egg holder so that it is resting vertically. The “long end” of the egg should be standing up.

Crack the egg around the top by gently tapping your spoon against the shell. Remove the top of the shell once you have traveled all the way around the egg. Make sure to discard any bits of shell which fell into the Balut.

Add a dash of red wine vinegar, a dash of chili sauce and a tiny pinch of sea salt. (Don’t go overboard on the salt because the chili sauce will have sodium in it as well.) The combination of the chili sauce and the vinegar will provide a spicy sweet flavor.

Drink the broth from the surrounding duck embryo. It is customary to drink the broth before ingesting the embryo.

Throw back the rest of the Balut as if you were taking a shot. Once the duck embryo has been boiled, the bones become soft. So there’s not need to worry about crunching on anything.

Drink any residual broth that was in the shell and then discard.

IBA’T IBANG LUTO NG BALUT

Marami na ring iba’t-ibang klaseng luto ng balut, at inihahain na rin ito sa maraming kainan ngayon. Isa na rito ang:

PICKLED BALUT

Ingredients:
1 dozen balut (duck embryo), boiled and unpeeled
3 cups sugar
3 cups vinegar
3 tsps. rock salt
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
1 thumb-size ginger, julienned

Procedures:
To prepare the pickling solution: Boil together the vinegar, sugar and salt and pour into a sterilized jar.
Peeled the boiled balut and place inside the jar. Garnish with red bell pepper, carrots and ginger. Allow to ferment for 2 days.
Serve as an appetizer if desired.

ADOBONG BALUT

Ingredients:
4 Balut eggs, peeled
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp Canola Oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small sized Onion
½ cup soy sauce, sliced
½ cup vinegar
3 pcs bay leaf
freshly ground black pepper
Thinly sliced Scallions for garnish

Procedures: Remove the Balut Egg shells, then set aside. Add Canola oil into the Frying pan, when Canola oil is heated enough saute’ Onion and the minced garlic until oil gets infused with the flavor of garlic. Add Balut and fry for a few seconds then add Soy sauce and Vinegar in the Pan. Depending on your own taste you can increase or decrease the amount of vinegar . Bring to a boil without stirring. Simmer for a few seconds, then swirl the pan so that the eggs are coated with the sauce. Add bay leaf, sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for another minute. Swirl once more. Turn off the heat. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Give the eggs a final swirl and, for the ultimate experience. Best serve with garlic fried rice.

BALUT ALA POBRE

Ingredients:
4 pcs. balut, cooked
30 gms. fresh garlic
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. butter
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 dash black ground pepper
2 spring onion, sliced 3″-long
1/2 tsp. garlic, browned 

Directions:
Remove shell of the cooked balut and reserve the juice.
In a sauce pan, saut? garlic in olive oil until golden brown.
Place balut and saut? for a minute then add butter and oyster sauce.
Continue cooking then, add balut juice and cook until the sauce thickens.
Servce and garnish with browned garlic and sprigs of onions in serving plate 

BALUT SALPICAO

Ingredients:
Solid portion of the balut (including the duck chick)
Onions
Tomatoes
All-purpose cream
Salt
Black pepper

Directions:
Slice the solid portion of the balut into cubes. Sauté the balut in onions and tomatoes. Add all-purpose cream and season with salt and black pepper.

BALUT SURPRISE

Ingredients:
Solid portion of the balut (including the duck chick)
Onions
Garlic
Black pepper
Olive oil
Chicken stock
Salt
Flour
Butter
Puff pastry

Directions:


Take the solid portion of the balut and set aside. Sauté the balut in onions, garlic, black pepper and olive oil. Pour chicken stock and add salt and pepper for additional flavor. To thicken the sauce, mix in roux or flour melted in butter. Let it settle until it cools. Transfer to a ramekin or a small open container made of ceramic. Place puff pastry to cover the container’s opening. Bake for 15 minutes.

BALUT MOUSSE

Ingredients:
Shallots
Solid portion of the balut (including the duck chick)
Brandy
Gelatin powder
Whipped cream

Directions:

Sauté shallots in butter. Add the solid portion of the balut. Add a little brandy. While waiting for the balut to cook, prepare a gelatin mixture by dissolving clear gelatin powder in cold water. Place the cooked balut in a hard blender. Add the gelatin mixture. Blend. After blending, add whipped cream and mix it all together. Strain the mixture and transfer to shot glasses. Refrigerate before serving.

BALUT IN TEMPURA BATTER

Ingredients:
6 pcs. shelled balut
400 grms. show flour
3 pcs. egg yolk
50 grms. corn flour
200 grms. ice cubes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pc. grated green mango
50 grms. spring onion, brunoise
1 lit. cooking oil
10 grms. fresh bay leaf
1½ cup water

Procedure:
In mixing bowl, combine water and egg yolk, and add in showa flour, ice cubes and fresh basil leaves.
Dredge balut into corn starch; then deep fry In pre-heated oil until golden brown.
Place on paper towel and set aside.
Cut ino small cubes the balut, place it on mixing bowl, add in grated green mango, spring onion and mayonnaise. Also add in juice from the balut.
Serve with tartar sauce.

SOPAS DE BALUT

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 cup Finely chopped onions

1/2 cup Finely chopped celery

1/2 cup Finely chopped carrots

1/4 cup Finely chopped kinchay

6 Balut peeled

7 cups Chicken or beef stock

1 Tbsp Brandy

salt and pepper to taste

Patis to taste

Kinchay and croutons for topping

Procedures:

In a pot, heat the butter then sauté the onions, celery, carrots and kinchay.

 Meanwhile, carefully peel the balut, while collecting the broth.  Remove the stone and cut the balut into quarters, or small dice.

When the vegetables are tender, add the balut. Pour in the soup stock and the reserved balut broth.

Bring to a boil then season to taste. To perk up the taste, add some brandy. Serve the soup hot, topped with chopped kinchay and croutons.

FRIED BALUT W/ TAMARIND SAUCE

Ingredients:

50gr tamarind
2 tablespoons of sugar 
1 tablespoon of fish sauce 
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic 
10 baluts
Roasted nuts (roasted peanuts) 
One handful of Vietnamese mint.

Directions:
Firstly, we need hard-boiled eggs.
Pour about 100ml water into tamarind then soak in 3 minutes. Then, receive the spoon trample tamarind.  Just need to get the water filter.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar + 1 tablespoon fish sauce into tamarind juice. 
Do this step carefully to create one wonderful dish from many Easy Recipes Vietnamese. Boiling tamarind water on the medium heat until the water shallow to 2/3, then turn off the stove. When baluts cooked, peel off the cover.
Fry minced garlic with butter, and then add the egg and 2 tablespoons of tamarind juice on it. With the tamarind juice left, you can store them in the fridge for personal use also. Fry the eggs which are soaked in tamarind sauce about 5 minutes. If you can eat spicy, you can add chilies on tamarind sauce.

BALUT SPRING ROLL

Ingredients:
3 pcs. garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 pc. white onion, chopped
50 gms. pork, ground
2 pcs. balut eggs, chopped
30 gms. carrots, chopped
1 stem celery, chopped
2 tbsps. soy sauce
2 tbsps. corn oil
10 pcs. lumpia wrapper
Salt & pepper

Directions:
 Heat oil in medium size pan.
Add and saute garlic and onion until golden brown.
Add ground pork until half-cooked.
Add carrots and celery until cooked.
Add balut and mix gently.
Add soy sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer mixture in a bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes to cool down.
Wrap the balut mixture into the lumpia wrapper to your desired size.
Deep-fry quickly or until wrapper turns golden brown.
Place it in a strainer to drain excess oil.
Yields 10 pieces.