A TRAVELLER has left social media users nauseated after sharing pictures of his unusual snack.
Jason Martin shared images of his platter of Balut, a traditional Filipino dish composed of fertilised duck eggs, vinegar and oil.
The popular Southeast Asian dish is made using a developing egg embryo which can be cooked, fried, boiled or even used as a filling for pastries.
The dish can also be paired with a mixture of garnishes such as salt, fish-sauce or chillies.
Jason, from Auckland, New Zealand, shared the unusual dish on social media, where he was met with a wide variety of conflicting opinions.
In his post, he said: “Tried this in the Philippines, it’s called Balut. Fertilised duck eggs cooked and taste really nice with vinegar and chilli.”
He added in the comments: “Once you chop it up you can’t even taste them.”
Included in his post is a photo of three fertilised duck embryos with what-appears-to-be green feathers resting on top. Underneath the embryos is the yellow-tinged amniotic fluid that is often used in a Phillipian broth.
The post received hundreds of likes and comments, with many making their feelings on the strange-looking dish felt.
Leah Archard said: “That’s just sick. Those poor baby ducks!”
Joanne Parkins commented: “I eat eggs but already struggle with them. This is possibly one of the most off-putting things I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s a no from me. A resounding, loud, definite NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO.”
Jody Issel commented: “I can see some feathers in there.”
Kellie Wardle said: “Not for me, but before dismissing it, I’ve always wondered – is it like the bird version of soft shell crab or does it have crunch to it?”
Kevin Stewart commented: “Certainly, they are more or less fully developed birds, just not actually hatched from their shells.
“We in the UK and other countries would find them disgusting, in the same way people in those countries find things that we eat disgusting.”
Balut is considered a late-night snack in lots of Southeastern Asian countries, and can be found in Asian supermarkets across the UK.
