Balut is a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled and eaten from the shell. It is commonly sold as street food in South China and Southeast Asian countries, notably the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. The term comes from the Filipino language.

What is the difference between a regular egg and a balut egg?

The egg is hard-boiled almost exactly the same way that normal eggs are, though the reaction that occurs within a balut egg is quite different. The liquids in a balut egg, rather than solidifying, turn into a sort of broth, that then simmers the duck fetus and the yolk.

Are Balut eggs alive?

Balut is boiled fertilized duck eggs with a formed embryo in them. In the Philippines, these embryos are boiled alive and then served to eat. In most Western countries with large Filipino communities, the eggs are often chilled first, killing the embryo before the eggs are boiled.