Explicit Balut
I should warn you. These pictures might be considered gross, graphic, or delicious.
Yesterday I decided to cook the last two of the balut, but I accidentally dropped one egg too hard into the pan, and a piece of shell broke off. I didn’t realize this until the water turned white and started to froth. Since the egg was pretty much ruined for eating, I decided to examine its contents.
Click any photo to enlarge.
When I removed the shell, I was actually shocked to see what came out:
The baby duck was a lot more developed than I had expected! Before I was only seeing its back. I realized that what I originally thought was its eye could not have been.
This raised some very important questions. I started to wonder just how aware of its environment this embryo was. Does it have a developed nervous system that will allow it to feel the pain of being boiled alive? Does refrigeration humanely euthanize the embryo?
There is only one way I can think of to find the answer to this question: open a fresh, unrefrigerated, unboiled balut. Or look it up. Or ask an expert. Whatever.
Stumble it!
March 12th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I just threw up in my mouth.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
That did not look like something that should be eaten like chocolate. Unless you covered it in chocolate.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I’m actually kind of angry with you now.
Admittedly, for no good reason.
Still, actually pretty angry with you.
May 6th, 2008 at 9:58 am
[…] last time we talked about balut, I left you with the following […]
October 14th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Ok, I have known about this dish for a few years now, ever since a friend of mine visited Vietnam and had it. I had heard it described, and I’ve seen some pictures of it. I have never seen pictures as gross as yours there, Jason. This is one food I do not think I could bring myself to eat after seeing it.
October 14th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Well, keep in mind that you don’t have to actually look at the duck’s body when you eat it. That’s the only way I’ll ever be able to eat it again.