How to Eat Balut

by Brady Friesen

Step 1: Buy a balut from one of the many vendors walking down the street. You will recognize them by their occasional declarations of "Balut!" As seen below, balut looks like a slightly oversized chicken egg. But, as with people, it is what is inside that counts...

Step 2: Crack open the flat end of the balut by striking it against a hard surface. This allows you to peel off the shell in sections, as one would peel a typical hard-boiled egg.

Step 3: Once you have a small opening, you will notice a dark liquid surrounding the contents of the egg. This is the appetizer. Pour a small amount of water and vinegar into the opening, then drink.

Step 4: Once the liquid content of the balut is consumed, peel off more shell until the real treasure of the balut is exposed.

Unlike most eggs you have probably eaten in your lifetime, balut is fertilized, so what you are looking at is a little duck fetus after around 17 days of growth. Depending on the the age of the balut, you may see feathers and notice a developed beak and bones. The one pictured, however, is of the younger variety. This is the main course.

Step 5: Carefully peel the fetus away from its former home by the head and place it carefully in your mouth. (Note: When pulling it out, be carful to grab the whole head or you may rip it in two, exposing the brain.) You may also wish to add more vinegar and salt to bring out the flavour.

Step 6: Now, the reward. Take time to savour the balut. Chew slowly, enjoy, and swallow.

Step 7: Two sections remain. The first is the yolk, which will be familiar to those of you who have eaten a hard-boiled chicken egg. Eat this.

Step 8: Finally, the dessert. You will notie a white, rubbery substance stuck to the bottom of the egg. Peel the shell carefully from the substance- this may take some time. Then, place in your mouth and chew. This may also take some time, as the texture is very similar to that of a white eraser.

Step 9: Repeat from Step 1 if desired.

There you have it. The next time you have the opportunity to try balut, you will be able to eat it like a pro.


On another note, we have just completed our third (!) VBS. We held this one in Balacbac at the basketball court, which is also where we have church on Sunday morning. We had a great turnout of around 100 energetic kids.

We split the kids into 4 classes depending on their age groups, and I co-taught the oldest class (13 to around 15). Most of them are in the youth group, so it was cool to be able to connect with them more through teaching them. Despite being what I would think as a little old for VBS, they seemed to enjoy it and hopefully learn more about what the Bible teaches about wisdom.

My co-teacher, Kat, teaching the youth

Due to space limitations, our class met on the roof of a house, with all sorts of fun rebar sticking out of the floor ready to stub your toe and cables ready to literally clothesline you.

Playing '4 Corners' on the roof- don't get too close to the edge!

It was a lot of fun, but quite draining. Organizing and handling 100 kids is no small task, but at the end of the week, we all agreed it was quite a success. It is a great privilege  to be working alongside with our new Filipino friends to bring joy and love to a bunch of kids.

Jonas' favorite part of VBS

The 7-9 year olds practicing their graduation song

Mmmm. pansit!

It has been quite the week, with our second VBS in as many weeks, and our team is ready for a break. Tomorrow, we head north to Banaue for a 4 day retreat. This is where Ashley's grandparents built a hospital several decades ago. We are excited to meet some people who knew them and also to check out the 2000 year old rice terraces while we are there. Pray for safety as we drive the windy mountain roads, for Pastor Sam's old Toyota Tamaraw to get us there without mechanical problems, and for some good team bonding while there.

Thanks for reading!