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If you experienced staying late at night, chances are you already heard the roaming nighttime street vendor shouting "Baluuut . . . penoy!" He is actually selling two different kinds of incubated duck egg, "balut" and "penoy," which are usually sold together and carefully kept inside layers of cloth to keep them warm.
"Balut" and "penoy" are eaten as snack food. These are sold together as if one is given a choice of coffee or tea. Being known as "pampalakas ng tuhod," the vendor's shout is music to the ears of sleep- and food-starved night owls, who might be cramming to finish a report, reviewing for an exam, or just having a drinking session. As it has always been the perfect beer match, "balut" and "penoy" are thus good "pulutan."
"Balut" (or "balot") and "penoy" are two of the Philippine's real native culinary delicacies that originated from Rizal. Because of the market trade that happened via Laguna Lake, they are now popularly sold everywhere in the streets of neighboring provinces.
What makes these duck eggs extraordinary, especially "balut," is the visual grossness that one has to ignore to be able to eat it. "Balut" and "penoy" are not just simply boiled duck eggs that once shelled, will reveal an egg white and yolk. "Balut" is an incubated duck egg with 16- to 18-day-old embryo, while "penoy" is an infertile incubated duck egg or with dead embryo. Both are ready for consumption right after being boiled for 20-30 minutes.
Studies showed that these eggs, indeed, boost one's energy because of their protein ("balut" has 12.6 grams and "penoy" has 13.6 grams) and energy contents ("balut" has 181 calories, while "penoy" has 202 calories). These eggs are also good sources of vitamins B1 and B2, minerals, niacin, betacarotene, and others.
So, the next time you see a "balut" or "penoy," go on and take the challenge because there are more reasons to closing your eyes and munching these duck eggs than just plain adventure.
To know more about "balut" production, please refer to the Philippines Recommends Duck Egg Production published by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development under the Department of Science and Technology (PCARRD-DOST) based in Los Baños, Laguna with tel. nos. (049) 536-0015 to 20. (Marites M. Ramil, S&T Media Service) |
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