Balut
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Episode 03

Balut

If you know, you know

What to expect

Two cultures, one egg. Fhred and Jasper try balut and hột vịt lộn side by side - the Filipino take and the Vietnamese take - with Fhred's own spiced coconut vinegar to dip. Think of it as a Filipino mignonette: vinegar, chili, cucumber, onion, garlic. Season the vinegar, that is the whole secret.

Fhred threatening to break out the Carolina Reapers, habaneros and ghost peppers. Multiple ancestors are reportedly watching. "You want the entire episode to be just die."

The recipe

Balut

Yield: 6 pcs · Difficulty: Easy

The street-food classic. The trick isn't the cooking - it's the dipping sauce and knowing which end to crack first.

Ingredients

  • 6 pcs balut eggs
  • 2 L water

Procedure

  1. Place balut into a pot.
  2. Cover with water.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Serve hot with spiced vinegar.

Chef's notes

  • Best served hot.
  • Crack open from the wider side first.

Spiced vinegar for balut

Yield: 500 ml · Difficulty: Easy

The dipping sauce. Filipino-style, like a mignonette but with a lot more attitude. Season the vinegar - that is the whole secret.

Ingredients

  • 500 ml coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 30 g red chili, sliced
  • 80 g cucumber, diced
  • 30 g garlic, minced
  • 60 g onion, diced
  • 8 g salt
  • 3 g black pepper

Procedure

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or container.
  2. Mix well until salt dissolves.
  3. Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Chef's notes

  • Coconut vinegar gives a more authentic flavour.
  • Tastes better overnight.