The yolk and the embryo are then eaten together.
Eggs with cracks will give off an empty sound, while thin-shelled eggs produce a brittle sound.
Back in the 1950s, the municipality of Pateros had around 400,000 ducks producing eggs that would soon become balut, the number one industry in the area.
Pick away the cracked bits of shell to form a small opening in the top of the egg, being careful not to let pieces of egg shell fall into the broth.
After removed from its shell, this will be cooked in adobo style—seasoned with soy sauce and vinegar and then fried as well.
Since there are a total of four parts to balut, perhaps skipping the yolk every now and then is a good compromise.