This dish is not only a symbol of uniqueness in Vietnamese cuisine but also an obsession for many foreigners. We are talking about balut. Why has a familiar and rustic dish in Vietnam become such a terrifying challenge for many foreigners? And does this dish have any interesting history or is it simply an unusual snack?
Balut is a duck egg that has been incubated for a period of time when the duck embryo inside has developed partially. It resembles a duckling with a head, eyes, beak, and sometimes, if the egg is a bit older, it may even have down feathers or soft bones. When boiled, you will have an egg with a rich yolk and a soft embryo, a bit of sweet water inside served with Vietnamese coriander, salt, pepper, lime, and sometimes shredded ginger. Balut is not only a snack but is also considered a tonic in Vietnamese culture. Although balut is a symbolic dish of Vietnam, many documents suggest that it originated from the Philippines, where this dish is called Balut.
The term Balut comes from the Tagalog language meaning to wrap or package, referring to the egg with the duck embryo wrapped inside the shell. Balut has been a popular dish in the Philippines for hundreds of years, and many culinary historians believe it was influenced by Chinese culture. Specifically, during the trade period between China and Southeast Asian countries, around the 16th and 17th centuries, Chinese immigrants came to the Philippines bringing with them the technique of incubation. In China, there is a dish called century egg, but balut is different in that it is a duck egg incubated with a developed embryo. From the Philippines, this dish spread to neighboring countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, gradually becoming an indispensable part of Southeast Asian cuisine.
Some documents even suggest that it may originate from nutritious dishes in traditional Chinese medicine, where duck eggs are considered high-energy food that helps enhance health and vitality. When introduced to the Philippines, locals creatively added salt, vinegar, or chili to create its distinctive flavor. For Vietnamese people, balut is a familiar dish, easily found everywhere, from street vendors, casual eateries to more upscale restaurants. It appears in breakfast, snacks, or even lunch, loved by all ages from children to the elderly. But for foreigners, especially those from Western countries like the US, UK, or Australia, balut seems like a culinary nightmare.
Why is that?
The main reason balut becomes a fear for foreigners lies in cultural differences. In many Western countries, eggs are usually eaten in their fresh form, such as boiled, fried, or used in cakes. The idea of eating an egg containing a duck embryo that has developed with a clear shape of a duck is completely foreign and even horrifying to them. In their culture, food is often processed to no longer retain the original shape of the animal, such as beef is usually ground, chicken is filleted, or fish is also filleted and sliced.
Therefore, when seeing a balut egg with a tiny head, closed eyes, and down feathers, many foreigners immediately feel shivers. Imagine you are a Western tourist visiting Vietnam for the first time and are invited to try a balut. You peel the shell, and before your eyes is a not fully formed duckling with a beak, eyes, and tiny legs. Your first reaction is, oh my god, what is this? Many people even refuse to eat immediately because they cannot overcome the psychological barrier. Meanwhile, Vietnamese people find this completely normal and even excitedly take a bite with salt and pepper while chatting happily.
Not only the appearance, but the texture and flavor of balut are also a challenge for foreigners. The embryo seems soft but sometimes has crunchy soft bones and fine down feathers, even a bit of water inside. These factors create a very different dining experience compared to the eating habits of Westerners, such as bread, pizza, or hamburgers. The rich flavor of the yolk combined with Vietnamese coriander, salt, pepper, and a bit of ginger creates a wonderful blend for Vietnamese people but is a shock to the palates of those who are not used to it.
Many videos on social media have captured the moments when foreigners struggle psychologically before trying balut. They often grimace, pinch their noses, or even take a sip of water to muster courage. Some even need friends to encourage or even force them to take the first bite. But interestingly, once they overcome the initial barrier, many realize that the flavor of balut is not as bad as they thought. Some even praise the richness of the yolk and the blend of spices, although they still cannot get used to the duck embryo part.
Thus, balut frequently appears in food challenge videos on social media, where vloggers or foreign tourists try strange dishes from around the world. It is often ranked alongside other bizarre dishes like insects, fried foods, blood pudding, or animal organs. This inadvertently adds to the terrifying reputation of the dish, making it a symbol of courage in the eyes of many foreigners. Just think about it, when a dish is introduced with the title of the most horrifying dish in Asia, would you dare to try it?
Many people will automatically form a prejudice that it must be a very scary dish. As a result, when foreigners face balut, they come with a mindset of anxiety and fear. Just like now, you are about to eat something and are told this is the most horrifying dish in Africa. Another reason why balut is hard to swallow for foreigners is the moral perception. This is also hard to say. In many Western countries, especially among vegetarians or those concerned about animal rights, eating an egg containing a developed embryo may be seen as an act of cruelty. They associate it with eating a living creature, even though the reality is that the duck embryo can no longer develop into a duck after being boiled.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, balut is seen as a nutritious dish, carrying no negative moral implications. This perception also explains why some foreigners, despite their curiosity, still do not dare to try balut. They may feel guilty or uncomfortable thinking about eating something that resembles a living creature. In contrast, Vietnamese people do not have this concept because balut has been a part of culinary culture for a long time.
In Vietnam, balut is not just a dish but also carries many cultural, spiritual, and even medicinal meanings. According to folk beliefs, balut is a very nutritious dish that is good for men's health, pregnant women, and those who need to recover after illness. Vietnamese people believe that balut is a very normal dish. Balut can be eaten in the evening with Vietnamese coriander and salt and pepper to help the body stay healthy, boost vitality, and even improve masculinity. Besides Vietnam and the Philippines, similar dishes to balut also appear in many Southeast Asian countries, each with its own way of preparation and enjoyment.
In Cambodia, this dish is often eaten with salt, pepper, and lime similar to Vietnam. In Laos, it is also often eaten with herbs. In Thailand, this dish is less popular but still exists in some areas near the borders of Laos or Cambodia. For Vietnamese people, the question of whether balut is delicious or not almost does not need an answer because everyone knows how delicious it is. The rich flavor of the yolk, the soft texture of the duck embryo combined with spicy salt and pepper, fragrant Vietnamese coriander, and a bit of warm ginger create an unforgettable culinary experience. In the world, balut has become a symbol of courage in cuisine.
Many foreigners see eating balut as a way to prove they dare to challenge themselves and explore new cultures. This is both an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture and a challenge for Vietnamese people to explain and help international friends understand more about this dish. Balut is not just a dish but also a story about cultural exchange, history, and diversity in cuisine. For Vietnamese people, it is a rustic, nutritious dish that is closely tied to daily life. For foreigners, it may be a challenge but also an opportunity to explore a new aspect of Vietnamese cuisine. Whether you love or fear this dish, it cannot be denied that balut has made a very unique mark.