Dear Claude,
Good day! My family regularly reads The Philippine STAR and I find your column very interesting and informative. Your feature on the balút was really something to think about. I have recently tasted balút again after several years only because the chance to eat it rarely presents itself and I have never really had a craving for it. I got to eat soft balút yolk — the only part I eat — and was immediately transported back to the times I would have it for ulam (viand) if I didn’t like the ulam my mom cooked. It was so soft and not at all malansa (fishy taste and smell). I really wanted to have another one but my conscience did not approve. I was wondering if its texture is similar to foie gras, which I have never tried. I’m a pasta lover and was wondering if you have tried cooking pasta with balút yolk, much like pasta with aligue (talangkâ or crab fat), perhaps? Maybe mashed balút yolk mixed with some other tasty stuff would make a great paté. Do you have any ideas? I’m raring to eat balút in some other unconventional way. Thanks. More power to you and your family.
Dianne Peralta
Hi, Dianne,
Firstly, let’s talk about eggs in general. Regarding your statement “my conscience did not approve,” I presume it’s your fear of cholesterol content that stopped you from having a second serving, am I correct? Well, fear no longer. The Internet is rife with information on eggs (from reputable medical institutions and practitioners), its benefits and nutritional values, busting many myths that have given it a bad reputation in the past several decades (i.e., eggs are bad for the heart, with its yolk high in cholesterol, etc.). As a matter of fact, it is now touted as one of nature’s healthy power foods, like bananas.
According to Askmen.com, “recent findings have shown it is the ‘good cholesterol’ that is found in the egg. It is called dietary cholesterol, which is also found in meats, poultry, seafood and dairy products. The second type is blood cholesterol (a.k.a. serum cholesterol) produced in the liver and floats around in our bloodstream, which is divided into two sub-categories: High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL). It is the latter that is considered bad because it sticks to artery walls. What is bad, however, is the amount of LDL blood cholesterol in the body. Too much of it can cause heart problems, but scientists are now discovering that consuming food rich in dietary cholesterol does not increase blood cholesterol. Of the three types of fat (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), saturated fat raises blood cholesterol and LDL levels. It so happens that eggs contain mostly polyunsaturated fat, which can actually lower blood cholesterol if one replaces food containing saturated fat with eggs.”
Having said that, let’s go back to your original concern. I must warn you, though, that using balút as an ingredient for other dishes rather than eating it as is will make you lose track of the number of eggs you’ll be actually consuming. It might be so good you’ll end up eating more than you bargained for (wink, wink).
Anyway, the texture of balút’s creamy yolk is more like paté de foie gras (processed goose or duck liver paté), rather than actual foie gras, which like a very rich, buttery and velvety pudding. After all, the name foie gras means “fat liver” — if you fry it long enough you’ll end up with mostly rendered fat (now, there’s the real scary, bad saturated fat!).
Here’s a recipe for making balút paté. Please note I’ve used equal amounts of balút and penoy (unfertilized egg, therefore without the sisiw or embryo) mainly for a chunky outcome. The balút’s yolk is firmer and will form bits when mashed, while penoy’s is smooth and creamy all throughout. If a smooth and creamy paté is desired, use only penoy then. This also rids you of the problem of what to do with the unsightly sisiw, which are not included in the recipe anyway (I gobbled them up, (laughs). They’re pure protein, by the way).
Balut Pate
Ingredients:
5 pcs balút
5 pcs penoy
2 single packs (3 g each) McCormick Spanish paprika (sweet)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsps minced garlic fried in olive oil until brown and crisp
A pinch of regular paprika (spicy)
Procedure:
Crack and peel the rounder end of the egg by tapping it lightly on a hard surface, removing the shards to expose a thin white film, peel this off, and scoop out the soft yellow yolk with a teaspoon. Collect the yolks in a bowl. Discard the hard white part. Put in the salt, paprika and toasted garlic (set aside some for topping), including the olive oil it was fried in. Mash with a fork or beat in a circular motion with an egg whisker. Transfer into a serving bowl and keep refrigerated until needed. Serve with toasted ciabatta slices.
To use as pasta sauce: Boil 500g spaghetti noodles accordingly, and about three-fourths into being cooked, drain water and place back into cooking pan and add 2-3 cups (add accordingly as needed) chicken broth. Continue cooking, then add about 1 cup balút paté. Mix thoroughly, making sure the noodles are well coated with the paté. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Bon appétit!
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Fire away your questions at Facebook Claude Tayag or email claudetayag@gmail.com.