Swallow Birds Nest: Simple, Straightforward and To-the-Point

For centuries, Chinese royalty, that is their women, has been known to consume Swallow Birds Nest to enhance beauty and aid in disappearance of fine facial lines. Their ingestion is also believed to make better skin and complexion. In Asia, Swallow Birds Nest, perhaps more than diamonds, are a woman’s best friend.

Lots of Asian celebrities consume this daily to look beautiful! When cooked, the Swallow Birds Nest takes on a gelatin texture, making it a lovely tong shui (“sweet soup”; Chinese dessert). The highly recommended way to enjoy Swallow Birds Nest, is just with water and rock sugar. Check out the recipe below to know how to cook Swallow Birds Nest perfectly.

Information:

Serves: 1
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 piece Xin Yan Swallow Birds Nest
1 bowl of water
A handful of rock sugar to taste
3 pieces red dates (optional)
2 pieces dried longan (optional)
5 pieces wolfberries (optional)
3 pieces American Ginseng Slices (optional)

Swallow Birds Nest: Simple, Straightforward and To-the-Point

HOW TO COOK SWALLOW BIRDS NEST

1. Soak Swallow Birds Nest in a bowl of water overnight (8-10 hours) until expanded and softened.
2. Pluck out any feathers or debris using kitchen tweezers. Rinse and drain. To prevent wastage, run soaking water through a fine sieve to catch the small bits of Swallow Birds Nest.
3. Add soaked Swallow Birds Nest, 1 rice bowl of water, and any another optional ingredients in a small bowl and cover with lid.
4. Place small bowl inside a larger pot and make sure the water in the larger pot starts to boil. Once it starts boiling, close the lid for the small bowl and let it boil for 15 minutes. When the Swallow Birds Nest is cooked to desired texture, stir in rock sugar to taste and cover for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve fully. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

TIPS

1. Rather than weighing the Swallow Birds Nest, go by pieces per person. For one person, use 1 piece of Xin Yan Swallow Birds Nest. This equates to about 8-10 grams per person. We use 1 rice bowl of water per person.
2. Although red dates are a common addition in Swallow Birds Nest, we wouldn’t recommend using it. According to our own experience, the cheap red dates will act like a sponge which absorb the goodness of the Swallow Birds Nest (though it’s not so bad if you eat the red dates).
3. We highly recommend to enjoy Swallow Birds Nest in the purest way – just Swallow Birds Nest, water and rock sugar. You may also add American ginseng slices. If you find ginseng bitter or intend to consume at night (it improves alertness/提神), omit it.
4. Don’t fuss over prepping the Swallow Birds Nest, because our Swallow Birds Nest usually very clean. Simply soak the Swallow Birds Nest pieces in water overnight until fully expanded and softened, but not so long that the Swallow Birds Nest disintegrates into small bits. If there are any impurities such as debris and feathers (which is very normal, as it proves that it is 100% authentic Swallow Birds Nest), pluck them out using a kitchen tweezer, drain, and they are ready for cooking.
5. Avoid boiling Swallow Birds Nest for too long. Boiling them for too long will remove the solid chunks in the Swallow Birds Nest, and cause it to become very watery. It will also remove all the proteins and good nutrients inside the Swallow Birds Nest. The older folks especially dislike it when the stewed Swallow Birds Nest do not have solid chunks after cooking (i.e. very watery). We highly recommend boiling them for 15 minutes max.
6. For best results, use the traditional way of double-boiling instead of an electronic double-boiler slow cooker. However, an electronic slow cooker is an alternative, subjected to personal preference.
7. It is said that Swallow Birds Nest is best consumed at room temperature, or chilled, on an empty stomach (such as just before bed, or when you wake up in the morning). For maximum absorption, do not eat “heaty” snacks or medication a few hours before and after drinking Swallow Birds Nest.