Balut (Balut, also sometimes pronounced Balot or Balut, or “paw eggs”) are chicken or duck eggs that have been incubated for 14-21 days before the chick embryo matures in it. Most often, embryo eggs are boiled before consumption, but on rare occasions may be fried or eaten raw or hard-boiled. Salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and lemon juice are used as condiments “in bite”. It is believed to be a predominantly male delicacy because it gives masculine strength.

The homeland of balut is considered to be China, but nowadays this delicacy is most widespread in the Philippines, it is also found in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and some other Southeast Asian countries. In Muslim countries (Malaysia and Indonesia) the use of balut is not welcome, although it can be found on sale in Chinese and other national communities.

Eggs can be found for sale at street vendors and even in supermarkets, but less and less because of the reputation of eating for the poor. In the Philippines, this dish, though considered a delicacy, is happily consumed at family gatherings and is almost a must-have gift at Christmas.

Where to Buy and How to Try
Usually the freshest balut is sold at street vendors in the evenings, ready-to-eat, complete with condiments. The vendors are displayed in the same places that any local knows about. The signs indicate the ripening period, and the longer it is, the more mature the chick inside is accordingly. But you can not always trust the date indicated, often it turns out to be longer. And yet, boiled soft-boiled balut may be dangerous to health, because it contains multiplied microorganisms that die only after a long heat treatment. In the Philippines, one balut egg costs from 15 to 25 pesos, and a bag of sauce (vinegar or soy sauce) and salt is included free of charge.

You can’t objectively call the taste of balut pleasant, and that’s putting it mildly. In addition to the chick surrounded by the consistency of the yolk, there is also the amniotic fluid inside, which is also drunk. The egg white of the balut is very hard, and it is also eaten. The locals eat the whole balut in one bite, but if you dare to try it, the first time you should buy the youngest eggs, 14 days old, because the chick has not formed a skeleton, a beak and plumage. A more mature balut has the unpleasant taste and unpleasant smell of protein decomposition added to the unpleasant taste. It is very difficult to eat it clean the first time, it can also end in vomiting. But it’s more likely not because of the taste, but the psychological rejection, plus the extremely unpleasant consistency. So be sure to snack on it with the accompanying spices and moisten the sauce, can help alcohol, which should be consumed before, not together with the egg.

Misconceptions about balut
There are several legends and misconceptions associated with balut, apparently derived from the pages of numerous travel blogs, whose authors theorize and describe it without going into detail or even trying it. For example, in one of the blogs we encountered a description that the taste of balut does not differ from the usual hard-boiled eggs. This is complete nonsense, so if you decide to try it, be prepared for unusual and unpleasant tastes, smells, and consistency.

You can also encounter the opinion that it is very high in protein and it is an unrealistically nutritious and useful product. This is also complete nonsense. In fact, the protein and nutrients there is not more than in the most common raw or boiled egg. It’s just that raw egg proteins are converted into proteins with a different amino acid modification, and byproducts are also released.

This is a very important and important factor in the development of the body, as well as in the development of the body’s ability to control the body. If you have a good reason, you will be able to use the following words: “I have a good reason”, “I have a good reason”, “I have a good reason”, “I have a good reason”, “I have a good reason”.

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How the beast became a dish
Those in the know will recall Robert Burns’ poem “Ode to Haggis.” The poet’s birthday is a national holiday in the country, and one of the traditional Scottish dishes, haggis, is a required part of his menu. This national food is especially delightful on a frosty January evening with excellent local whiskey.

There are two versions of the origin of the name of the dish. The first, scientific, says that it comes from the word haggen – to chop. The second one is more romantic and sad, but in fact it is humorous and refers to wild animals (Haggis scoticus) which once lived in mountains of Scotland.

According to the legend, they were small creatures with the muzzle of a hedgehog and short wings, covered with birds feathers mixed with wool. Nature ensured that they could move nimbly on mountain slopes by giving them right and left legs of different lengths. Unfortunately, this peculiarity prevented the animals to breed, and they became extinct long ago, but stylized “stuffed” incredible creatures can still be seen in the decoration of some Scottish pubs.

There is another version made up specially for tourists. They say that the animals can still be seen on the Scottish hills. The spread of the tale led some interviewed American tourists to seriously believe and claim that the haggis is a real animal that exists!

The Scottish dish haggis is made from by-products, more specifically, from the giblets (lungs, liver, heart) of ram/calf boiled in a lamb’s stomach.

Despite the democratic nature of the ingredients, the dish is very nutritious and really tasty. Don’t be intimidated by the time required to cook haggis at home (as stated in our step-by-step recipe with photos) because most of the time (up to 10 hours) is spent on the preliminary soaking of the lamb’s stomach in salted water. You will cook haggis for three hours at most.

To make the dish more interesting and nourishing, in addition to chopped giblets with spices and onions (as in the classic recipe) we will add sweet peppers and boiled rice to the filling (in the traditional haggis the Scots put ¾ cup of lightly fried oats). This will give the haggis a more appetizing appearance. And for juiciness we’ll add some kidney fat to the mince. The result will be something like homemade cooked sausage, flavorful, hearty and very appetizing.

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There is a rather plausible version according to which the cheese came about because of an oversight in the preparation of pecorino sardo cheese. Failing to notice the cheese fly eggs, the cheesemaker sent the head of cheese to ripen further. Everyone liked the taste, and it was decided to bring the cheese to this state on purpose.

There is another theory, according to which any home production of pecorino was supposed to get casu marzu because in summer the fly is very active – almost half of the cheese heads were infested with larvae even with the close supervision of the cheesemakers.

The EU has banned the production and sale of this cheese because of the deviation from sanitary requirements. To protect its own product, the Italian government put it on the list of traditional products, which allowed local producers to continue to make and sell it, but not in stores, but in markets. It joined the list of more than four thousand delicacies that are protected by the state.

In 2005, experts from the veterinary department of the Sassari Institute were able to control the reproduction of the fly in artificial conditions, allowing the product to fully comply with the requirements. For now, the EU remains adamant despite all the attempts of Italians to defend their own product and make it available to gourmets from other countries.

The technology of cassou marsu cooking
The first step is to prepare high-quality sheep’s cheese pecorino sardo and bring it to almost full maturity. In this case, those heads that go to the cheese with maggots are kept in a salt solution for less than a week. This is enough for good flavor, but not enough to repel flies and prevent bacterial growth.

Some producers punch a hole in the crust and pour a little olive oil in there. This attracts the flies and also helps to make the surface softer. The head of cheese is then left in an open area for the flies to take note. During this time, the heads are not touched or turned, giving the cheese a unique flavor and aroma.

After a sufficient number of larvae have been deposited, the sar kasu martsu is stacked. The maturation process will continue for another 3 to 6 months – so the product will gain its characteristic flavor and aroma. The readiness is determined after the cheese lid is cut off, because this method is the most informative.

The specialist must assess the number of larvae, as well as the texture of the finished product. If necessary, the ripening process can be slightly prolonged. It is completed in late autumn, because the fly larvae do not tolerate low temperatures. This is why cheese made in natural conditions has always existed as a seasonal product. Once the larvae are dead, the cheese is no longer considered quality.

How to eat and store casa martza
It is very important to eat the product only with live maggots, because even locals will not take a chance with cheese that has already had the maggots dead. The consistency of the cheese can be soft, firmer or pasty, all depending on the number of larvae. There is also a special liquid in the cheese called a tear, which is appreciated by gourmets.

The cheese is usually placed on a traditional pane carasau flatbread and served with a strong red wine. If the cheese is a very soft texture, it is taken out with a spoon and spread on bread. It is recommended to hold your hand over such a sandwich, because maggots are very mobile and can get into the eyes.

Some tourists have invented how to try the delicacy without maggots. It is very simple: they cut off a few pieces of kasu martsu cheese, put it in a plastic bag and close it. Then they just take the cheese out and throw away the maggots with the bag. Locals, of course, consider this method blasphemy and always eat the cheese with the maggots.

Kasu martsu cheese can be stored for quite a long time.

Possible harm from kasu martsu
Since the cheese contains both insect products and the insects themselves, as well as sheep’s milk, which is not familiar to everyone, there is a risk of allergies. We must also consider the individual intolerance of individual components.

Serious intestinal infections can occur even if there is nothing wrong with the cheese and it is edible. This is especially typical of tourists, for whom not only maggots in food, but even sheep’s milk is unfamiliar. Unpleasant symptoms, such as fever, may appear.

The damage to the stomach and intestinal walls can be very serious, so that those who try the cheese can get health problems. However, it is noted that most people do not have any problems. This is proven by special studies, which were conducted when the product was legalized for sale in the EU.

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