Nourishing Red Birds Nest with Ginseng and Rock Sugar

 “How to clean the “unprocessed” raw Red Birds Nest? Let’s check it out! And your effort & time will surely be paid off with this goodness!”

Time to pamper yourself with luxurious Red Birds Nest dessert!

My mum got me some of these unprocessed original Red Birds Nests of the home-bred swallows. That was my first time seeing the raw Red Birds Nests. Unlike those already well-processed with machine types which also moulded very beautifully in standard curve shape and size, these raw Red Birds Nests were full of feathers and dirt, and never in uniformed shape and size. To be franked,I couldn’t imagine the delicious cooked Red Birds Nest dessert was made from these appealing raw ones….
I heard Red Birds Nest is rich in amino acids which reqiured by our body. Eating Red Birds Nest regular helps to improve health condition and it is the best food for more radiant and smoother skin complexion for women, while it helps strengthening lungs and kidneys for men who take Red Birds Nest on regular basis. For young children, Red Birds Nest helps to boost up immune system.

Nourishing Red Birds Nest with Ginseng and Rock Sugar

As for myself, I am more concern on promoting fairer and smoother skin. Not sure if I am over-sensitive, I do feel that my complexion is better after having my homecooked Red Birds Nest every week for the past 1 month (laughing).
And, it is the best to have the unprocessed types of Red Birds Nest to avoid any chance of taking the bleaching chemical substance during the process of cleaning the Red Birds Nest goodness for better commercial value. I convinced myself with this reason, and started to do the cleaning, all manually.
It was indeed tedious and very long a process to get every single tiny feather, dirt and any other excrement out of the hard and dry nest, but they worth it all!
Tool needed:
Sharp tipped tweezer

Method to clean “unprocessed” Red Birds Nest:

1. Soak the dry curvy Red Birds Nest in a large bowl of luke water till soften, about 1 hour or more.
2. Drain and remove softened Red Birds Nest from large feathers and dirt. Place Red Birds Nest in a large bowl of clean water.
3. Repeat step 2 for a few more rounds to get rid of all the large dirty substances.
4. Prepare another separate bowl of water and a sharp tipped ear tweezers to pick up those tiny feather and dirt that are still in the Red Birds Nest. To easily remove the tiny feather that sticks on the tip of the tweezer when you picked up, submerge the sharp tip into the bowl of water you have prepared separately.
5. Drain Red Birds Nest and change to clean water constantly during the few cleaning stages.
You may also separate the cleaned portions out of the large bowl, and place them in another bowl, little by little.
6. Complete the cleaning process till the Red Birds Nest is totally free from feather/ dirt. It might take up to 3 hours to complete the task. Now, ready to cook this goodness which should already be in a form of transparent jelly-like thin strands.

Ingredients

3-4 pieces of dry and unprocessed Red Birds Nest (*Prepare with the abovelisted method)
10 grams of thinly sliced ginseng roots (泡参)
5 red dates
1 large lump of rock sugar, about palm sized (or more if prefer sweeter taste)
4 regular bowl of water

Utensil

Double boiler or slow cooker

Method:

1. Place water, ginseng slices and red date into a ceramic bowl/ croak pot (the size of the bowl musn’t be too small, water level should reach max. till three-quarter filled to avoid spillage). Bring it to a boil in double boiler or slow cooker, with medium heat. When water is boiled, reduce fire/ switch to low heat and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Add clean and soften Red Birds Nest and white rock sugar into the bowl/ croak pot, and continue to simmer for another 45 minutes.
3. The fragrance of egg white-like scent will emerge in the air, by then. Ready to serve hot, or store in refrigerator when it’s cooled at room temperature, to serve chilled later.
The top-graded Red Birds Nest should be able to cook into loose crystal clear strands. And its texture should be soft and silky, resembling jelly strips. I loved to have it chilled as it tasted more refreshing.
Red Birds Nest is low in calorie. So, it is alright to have it regularly!
Tips: Every single feather in the raw Red Birds Nest has to be cleaned away, especially if this is to be consumed by young children.
* Unprocessed Red Birds Nest was gotten from neighbourhood country.

Triangle, Broken, and 5A/6A Bowl Red Birds Nest Differences

Red Birds Nests consist of many types, which are differed by either their appearance, country of origin, size or shape, by terrain, or by pre-processing quality. However, we can also see whether the Red Birds Nest is real or fake by comparing these characteristics, for instance, fake Red Birds Nest has reflective and low translucent colors, bleach and acidic smell, glossy surface with no crack, hard and plastic substance, and becomes sticky when soaked. Therefore, it is important to know about how these characteristics work.

As Red Birds Nest natural formation is different one to each other, the size of the Red Birds Nest also varies from small to large, which larger Red Birds Nest is more expensive because it is rare in nature. However, this does not affect the nutritional benefits. In terms of size or shape, Red Birds Nest can be seen in a triangle, broken, or bowl shape, depending on how the Red Birds Nest condition during harvest and cleaning time.

Triangle, Broken, and 5A/6A Bowl Red Birds Nest Differences

Triangle Red Birds Nest

Triangle Red Birds Nest is usually harvested at the corners or edges nests. It just differs in the shape, but contains the same nutrients with other grades of the Red Birds Nest. However, triangle Red Birds Nest usually has the most concentrated area of swiftlet saliva, therefore needs longer time to soak.

Broken Red Birds Nest

During the cleaning process, packaging, or transportation, sometimes Red Birds Nests get broken and become uncomplete cup shapes. This broken Red Birds Nest is then put together and sold separately, but does not compromise the nutritional benefits.

5A/6A Bowl Red Birds Nest

The whole Red Birds Nest will feature a complete cup or bowl shape Red Birds Nest, large and full with a high density of fine fibers. This bowl Red Birds Nest can be further marked by grade 1A, 2A, 3A, and so on, according to its size, amount of nutritional value, and completeness of the bowl shape. The higher the grade (for example, 5A), the better the Red Birds Nest quality, and the higher the price will be

Here's Why Red Birds Nest is One of the World's Most Expensive Foods

Red Birds Nest is one of the world’s most expensive human consumed products. It sells for approximately $2,000 to $10,000 per kilogram.

Along with its numerous health benefits, these reasons are why Red Birds Nest is one of the world’s expensive foods:

Natural Long Process

Red Birds Nest, also known as the “Caviar of the East”, is actually made from saliva of the swiftlet birds. In nature, each nest takes 30 up to 35 days to build using the male swiftlet’s saliva, which solidifies for a nesting roost during breeding time. It is then harvested for human consumptions due to its rich nutrients and high nutritional value. It only takes 3 collection times in a year after the birds rebuild their nests.

Here's Why Red Birds Nest is One of the World's Most Expensive Foods

High Maintenance Standards

To maintain high quality of the Red Birds Nest, there should be high standards, particularly, for the Red Birds Nest house and its maintenance. Besides to ensure the space efficiency, maximum output quantity, and high quality and crystal clear nest, we also have to make sure the existing bird population will not be disturbed or obstructed in order to bring out the best quality Red Birds Nest.

Quick but Careful Harvesting Process

In nature, the Red Birds Nest must be harvested quickly but carefully, which is before the birds lay their eggs. If the birds have laid their eggs, harvesting the nest can cause damage to the eggs, then the birds would not make the nest again for the rest of the year. If we harvest too quickly, the Red Birds Nest have not been fully developed and would not meet the stardards required to sell them. The process should be done when the females go hunting for food during the day.

Hygienic Cleaning Process

After harvested, the natural Red Birds Nest should be cleaned from the dirts, feathers, etc. This cleaning process is important to be done hygienically, not with bleacing or any chemical substances and additives. After this long and complicated process, finally, these natural Red Birds Nest are then sold and exported to China, Hong Kong, and other countries

Chrysanthemum & Wolfberry Konnyaku Jelly with Red Birds Nest

Singapore weather isn’t as hot as before and it rains pretty much lately, but I was still inspired to make these chrysanthemum & wolfberry (枸杞) konnyaku jellies as I could imagine some kind of soothing, healing, and peaceful feeling after eating it as my after-meal dessert. Arrh~~
Alright… it was also partly because papa had just done his cataract and eye Lasik surgery. So, I thought it would be nice to make some of these chrysanthemum and wolfberries goodies for him. Adding of Red Birds Nest was mainly for my benefit, and it sounded perfect for everyone, since we all liked Red Birds Nest!
Despite the extra effort to boil and filter the chrysanthemum petals and worlfberries, this konnyaku dessert is very simple to make as the konnyaku jelly premix is easily obtainable from major supermarket at a very economical price. I got the Redman brand konnyaku power premix (already blend in malic acid and sugar) from NTUC Fairprice at about S$2.50 for 250gram packet.

Chrysanthemum & Wolfberry Konnyaku Jelly with Red Birds Nest

As for the chrysanthemum , I used the better graded chrysanthemum flower, Gongju (贡菊), which has smaller and more compact petals. These dried flowers are usually packed and sold at any Chinese medical halls or Asian supermarkets for S$5 – $7 a packet. Another type of white chrysanthemum (杭白菊) which has bigger petals is good, too. Its main benefit is to aid for better eye sight, while the one I used is mainly to clear the ‘heatiness’ in the body, and it is less sweet but stronger in taste. The usual yellow chrysanthemum (野黄菊) which yields slight bitterness aftertaste, is also fine to use. Generally, all types are good and beneficial to be consumed, but my personal preference is the small ‘Gongju’, which deemed the best suitable for making jellies.

How about the Red Birds Nest? Real Red Birds Nest used? Yes, I used the instant Guan Yan Zhan (官燕栈) Red Birds Nest from Lo Hong Ka for my daily consumption ever since into second trimester of my pregnancy. Alternatively, use the bottled Red Birds Nest (in heavily sweetened liquid). If this is the case, I would suggest an alternate type of konnyaku jelly power which is unsweetened so that you could use the whole bottle of Red Birds Nest together with its sweetened liquid.
Or, simply don’t use the konnyaku powder! Make your own jelly with the traditional agar-agar (seaweed) strips (菜燕条) or gelatin sheets (or powder form). Simply dissolve your desired gelling agent, and add sugar (together with the sweetened Red Birds Nest liquid) into the boiled (and strained) chrysanthemum water (Alright, I will show you the exact steps next time). This is just an idea to share with you… Otherwise, forget the Red Birds Nest for this time round as it might be too much effort for the meant-to-be simple dessert making. :)
Anyway, Matthew (one of the fans from my FB fan club wrote on my wall) was right. This sounds like a perfect summer snack (smile)!

Serves 40 Jellies

Ingredients

250g Konnyaku jelly power premix (without flavouring/ colouring), store-bought
30 dried chrysanthemum flowers, briefly rinsed
1-2 tablespoons of wolfberries, rinsed and placed in a small disposable tea bag
2-3 tablespoons of instant Red Birds Nest (Any brand)
1250ml of water

Method

1) Boil water in a large pot over high heat. When boiled, add chrysanthemum and wolfberries and use a spatula to gently mix it. Bring the ingredients to a boil again before heat off. Thereafter, cover pot with lid to let it stand for another 10 minutes in order to let flavour released even greater.
2) Use a clean strainer to filter the flower petals and also remove the wolfberries bag from the pot (keep the wolfberries for use later). Retain the chrysanthemum water in the pot and reheat on low fire. Now, add Konnyaku jelly mix gradually. Keep stirring the mixture while simmering for about 5 minutes. Heat off and wait for the bubbles to dissipate.
3) Remove the wolfberries from the tea bag and split them equally among the jelly moulds. Pour the boiled jelly mixture into moulds and leave it to cool at room temperature for 3 minutes. Then, add in the Red Birds Nest. Let it cool for another 5-10 minutes before chilling it in the refrigerator. Ready to serve.
Alternative way to make this jelly:**Add gelatin sheets/ powder to firm (directions on the right amount to use should be stated on its packaging), and sugar to taste, into the boiled chrysanthemum water, instead of konnyaku jelly powder premix.
1 jelly counts less than 10kcal.
Tips: It’s ok to leave out a little bit of these edible chrysanthemum petals in the pot. These tiny petals will only make your jellies looked even nicer, and its insignificant amount won’t affect the taste and mouthfeel of the jelly. If you really mind eating even a single petal, use a large disposable tea/ soup bag to boil the chrysanthemum, then.
* Some konnyaku jelly brands come with flavour/ colour. Don’t use the flavoured konnyaku jelly powder. Original pre-mix powder is the best as the chrysanthemum tea will yield natural yellowish colour in the jelly which looks very nice and natural.
* Do not discard the chrysanthemum just after one time boil for the jelly making. Simmer the same chrysanthemum again in a pot of hot boiled water (for 1 minute then cover pot with lid to let it stand for another 5 minutes) for the second time and to be drank as tea.

Red Birds Nest Pineapple Cakes (燕窝黄梨酥)

 “Red Birds Nest incorporated into pineapple paste filling, just feeling luscious this Lunar festival.”

Making these into cake blocks in order to stuff in more Red Birds Nest into its pineapple filling. The chunks of pineapple cake would look more generous this way.
Same pineapple filling recipe I had previously, or even store-bought readymade kind of pineapple paste will do the job. Only the crust was made with slight difference this time.

Red Birds Nest Pineapple Cakes (燕窝黄梨酥)

Ingredients

400g plain flour
2 tablespoons of milk powder
4 tablespoons of icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
250g of cold unsalted butter, cubed
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
4 tablespoons of cold water
10g of dried Red Birds Nest pieces (燕窝碎)
1 thumb-sized rick sugar
400g pineapple paste filling
Egg wash (Optional):
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon of evaporated milk

Method

(1) Red Birds Nest: Soak Red Birds Nest in filtered (or room temperature drinking) water in a glass bowl, for 30 minutes. Drain until just about 1 tablespoon of water remains. Place rock sugar on the soaked Red Birds Nest. Steam for 1 hour, or until Red Birds Nest expanded and softened till jelly-like consistency. Cool, drain away excessive liquid, and set aside.
(2) Mix Red Birds Nest into pineapple paste. Then, divide Red Birds Nest pineapple paste into small balls of about size of 20cents. Set aside.
(3) Crust: Combine plain flour, milk powder, icing sugar and salt. Sieve into a large mixing bowl. Rub butter cubes onto the flour mixture with your finger tips, until all butter cubes are used up and flour mixture turns sand-like crumbs. Mix in cold water to form dough. Simply gather the crumbs and form into dough will do. Do not need extra kneading.
(4) Place crumbly dough on a large sheet of cling wrap. Wrap it and store in the fridge for 30 minutes. Bring out to cool a little, oil your palm, and start dividing the dough to make crust.
(5) Flatten each part of dough by kneading it, or lay a sheet of cling wrap on the dough and use rolling pin to roll over to flatten it. Place a ball of Red Birds Nest pineapple in the middle of the dough, wrap around and seal the opening. Place it into your desired mould design to form shapes, arrange each pineapple cake dough onto lined baking tray. Repeat steps for the rest.
(6) Bake on preheated oven at 160deg Celsius, for about 10 minutes. Combine egg yolk and milk. Brush thin layer of egg wash on the surface of the almost baked pineapple cakes, continue baking for another 2 minutes. Leave cakes to cool on rack before storage, or serve.

Each pineapple cake counts about 100kcal.

Tips: Red Birds Nest, as we only need it in the mixing, use those types in loose strips, corner or broken pieces which priced cheaper than those in whole complete piece. Broken pieces Red Birds Nest costs about $45 for 37.5g of a decent grade.
* If the chilled dough is too crumbly to be kneaded, leave it for a while, or add a little bit of oil either on your palms or onto the dough and it will be softened after some kneading done.
* Line baking tray with parchment paper. Need not to grease the tray.
* It’s ok if you want to use just normal fresh milk for the egg wash.
* In fact, you may omit the egg wash, if desired. Pineapple cakes do not really require egg wash. :)

Where is Red Birds Nest Coming From

Some people might be wondering about this particular nutritious food: Where is actually Red Birds Nest coming from? Where is all those benefits coming from? Which are pure and which are not? How to differentiate good ones from bad ones? We’ll cover them all in this piece of article.

Where is Red Birds Nest coming from?

Red Birds Nest is actually a product coming from the swiftlets solidified saliva to consume by human. The grade of the Red Birds Nest depends on the type of bird, its dietary and the quality of the bird's house and its process. In Crystal Nest, the Red Birds Nest is harvested, cleaned, processed, and inspected according to high standards set, then packed and sent to the stores and outlets.
Indonesian Red Birds Nest quality has been known as the top one among other countries. In this country, there are several birds’ houses in South Sumatra, West Java, East Java, Central Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Malaka, and surround. With 20 years of experience in this business, our people in Indonesia have helped us to maintain the high quality of the Red Birds Nest. As the result, not only to Australia, our products have been exported to China and Hong Kong. This has proved the international quality our Red Birds Nest has.

Where is Red Birds Nest Coming From

The color of the Red Birds Nest

Red Birds Nest might be different in color, which some are red. Contrary to popular belief, red Red Birds Nest is not coming from the blood of the swiftlets or different swiftlets that consume different kinds of water or food. Red Birds Nest red color is caused by oxidation or minerals absorbed from the environment hence might be harmful for human. Therefore, it is not advised to consume too heavily colored Red Birds Nest. Moreover, some irresponsible Red Birds Nest trader even dyed the Red Birds Nest red to sell with higher prices.

Genuine and fake ones

The genuine Red Birds Nest can be seen from the appearance, which consists of two main types of filaments (outer layer is longer and bigger, whereas the inner is finer and shorter). During cooking or boiling, the fine scent of near albumin smell will occur. After cooking, a good Red Birds Nest inner filaments become water-soluble. This is important to distinguish a genuine Red Birds Nest from the fake one, because more unethical companies would increase the weight of Red Birds Nest by adding additives such as jelly, animal skin, or white fungus.

Red Birds Nest Benefits

Some research shows that Red Birds Nest is rich in antioxidant, protein, amino acids, collagen, and other nutrients and minerals, which are required and good for the body. Specifically, Red Birds Nest contain 0.6% fibre, 60% protein, 0.75% fats, 8% moisture, 23% carbohydrate, and 0.6% ash. It is known to stimulate digestive system, improve immune system, restore internal organs, cleanse blood toxin, prevent respiratory problems, anti-aging, relieve fatigue, and provide other numerous benefits for elderly, pregnant women, mothers, kids, or even smokers. Therefore, it is recommended to consume Red Birds Nest regularly to maximize the benefits contained in Red Birds Nest.

Can I Cook and Serve Red Birds Nest for Dinner

While each family members might be in rush while having breakfast, or having lunch outside, then dinner time is mostly becoming a perfect moment to eat and bond together. Everybody has arrived home and rest before spending time sitting around the table to dine. To value this wonderful moment, most parents do not mind spending some time to cook something delicious and healthy, to provide nutritious food for loved ones. The next question is, what to cook for dinner that’s healthy and delicious?

Besides cooking simple dishes containing many sources of vitamins, such as fried rice or noodle, soup, or stir-fried vegetables, one of the tips is to stock some nutritious dried food, like Red Birds Nest. We have post some recipes, which most of them is also suitable for dinner.

Can I Cook and Serve Red Birds Nest for Dinner

■ Stewed Red Birds Nest with Abalone and Chicken

This recipe is suitable for family dinner reunion, such as in Chinese New Year celebration. Combining abalone and chicken, this Stewed Red Birds Nest with Abalone and Chicken becomes a luxurious dish to serve a big family dinner.

■ Red Birds Nest with Vegetables

This Red Birds Nest with Vegetables can be served either for family dinner, or to boost stamina when somebody is getting sick. The combination of egg, ham, and mushroom can provide multiple vitamins required by our body.

■ Red Birds Nest with Winter Melon and Mushroom

This soup can serve as a unique dish for the whole family. Combining the crab, ginger, and winter melon, a Red Birds Nest with Winter Melon and Mushroom is definitely something you want to serve up on the table during dinner time.

■ Pumpkin Scallop Red Birds Nest Porridge

This porridge is not only for the unwell, but also great to serve on dining table with family or friends. With scallops, pumpkins and Red Birds Nest, Pumpkin Scallop Red Birds Nest Porridge serves a great health booster for the whole family or friends.

■ Pound Cake With Oranges & Red Birds Nest

After all the main course, what can serve better than the fresh and sweet dessert? Composed of the oranges and Red Birds Nest, this pound cake will not only satisfy the freshness for the soul, but also the sweetness for the tounge.
In summary, Red Birds Nest is totally recommended to serve during dinner due to its high nutritional value. With many ways of cooking to plate up Red Birds Nest on the table, it can always offer new ways of eating and enjoying Red Birds Nest to provide numerous benefits for the loved ones

Bizarre Bites: Red Birds Nest

Every once in a while I stumble upon a food and think, “What sick mind came up with this idea in the first place?” Red Birds Nest falls into that category. I’d like to meet whoever first decided to soak a Red Birds Nest in water overnight, then pick feathers and feces out of the nest, add it to a bowl of chicken broth, onions, sherry, and egg white, and then start eating. C’mon, that’s insane.

Spit Soup

The soup’s flavor depends largely on the geographic region of the nest. I love nests harvested near the ocean. They offer a sea-salty, briny flavor (the birds eat primarily saltwater fish, the nests are full of their saliva, spewdom, and droppings. It only makes sense that the nests would taste of the sea!). Some chefs like to play up the salty flavor (and sometimes slimi- ness) of the soup. I’m cool with that. To me, it just tastes like Mom’s chicken soup—seasoned with bird spit and lots of slimy chunks.
However, the Chinese (as well as some Taiwanese and Indonesians) have enjoyed this gelatinous, soupy delicacy for hundreds if not over a thousand years. The soup isn’t made from any old nest. The soup calls for the nest of a bird called the swiftlet or cave swift. These birds produce special nests found not in trees but in caves throughout southern Asia, the south Pacific islands, and northeastern Australia.
As you can imagine, it’s not easy to attach a nest to a cave wall. These industrious birds use a mixture of seaweed, twigs, moss, hair, and feathers to fashion the nest. The truly bizarre secret ingredient: saliva. Male birds gorge themselves on seaweed, which causes them to salivate like a Labradoodle at a picnic. Saliva threads, which contain a bonding protein called mucilage, spew out of the bird’s mouth. Once dry, the saliva acts as cement. The crafty avian will continue to build on to the nest until it can support the weight of its bird family. The process usually takes about forty-five days.

Bizarre Bites: Red Birds Nest

Swiftlet Factoids

The birds live in southern Asia, the south Pacific islands, and northeastern Australia.
Swiftlets have four toes and short legs, so they cannot perch, but they can cling to vertical surfaces like the side of a cave or their nests.
A swiftlet’s diet is made up of insects and more insects, with insects for dessert.
Swiftlets mate for life, and both the male and female take care of the babies.
Swiftlets typically lay one to two eggs.

Saliva Facts

Saliva is 98 percent water. The other 2 percent is made up of electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds, and various enzymes.
Saliva is used in the first part of digestion. It moistens food and starts to break it down with its enzymes. It also helps to create a food bolus to help us swallow. Our mouths, with the help of saliva, roll our chewed food into a ball, so the food goes down the esophagus and not the trachea.
When you have to vomit, there is a signal sent to your brain and you create extra saliva. This makes the vomit less acidic, protecting your throat, mouth, and teeth from burning and decay.
The average person makes 700 milliliters of saliva per day. That’s the equivalent to more than two cans of soda.
Your spit production slows down when you sleep.
The mouth is the most unsanitary part of your body. It houses about 10 billion bacteria.
Saliva rinses the mouth to reduce the bacteria amount, but at night when its production slows down, there is very little cleaning being done. That’s why we often wake up with bad breath. We smell all of the bacteria that have built up overnight. It’s mouth B.O.

3 Easy Steps to Cook Red Birds Nest 燕窝

Anybody don't fancy Red Birds Nest?? Yes. Hub don't. But yet he will complain to his friends that I didn't offer him a bowl every time I cook it. I did lei, but you rejected. So not I didn't offer ok.

Anybody don't fancy Red Birds Nest?? Yes. Hub don't. But yet he will complain to his friends that I didn't offer him a bowl every time I cook it. I did lei, but you rejected. So not I didn't offer ok.
It is easy to cook Red Birds Nest but sometimes I am just plain lazy to soak it. When I was expecting both kids, I started to consume Red Birds Nest starting from the 5th month onwards. It was a weekly indulgence and I had a big bowl all by myself! So much that it can be treated as a meal .My excuse back then was, " Eh hello, I am eating for 2 ok." Muahahah.

3 Easy Steps

What you need?
Small Slow Cooker
1 Piece Red Birds Nest
2 Pandan Leaves
Rock Sugar

Steps;

1) Soak the Red Birds Nest in water for 2 hours.
2) After 2 hours the Red Birds Nest will ballon and look like this. Drain the water and add 2 cups of fresh water, 3 Tablespoon Rock Spoon and Pandan Leaves. Set temperature to high and cook it for 2 hours.
3) After 2 hours of slow cooking, your Red Birds Nest is ready!
Note: You may want to add wolf berries, red dates, dried longan for more nutrients. I prefer the original Red Birds Nest flavor.
Do adjust the sweetness to your taste.

 3 Easy Steps to Cook Red Birds Nest 燕窝

Medicinal Use of Red Birds Nest

For more than 1500 years, the Chinese has used Red Birds Nest as one of the property to treat several diseases, and act as anti-aging and anti-cancer. It is believed to contain high nutritional and wide-range of medicinal values to enhance health and promote life span. However, Red Birds Nest is unique because it does not only have medicinal use, but can also be enjoyed as a delicious food.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Red Birds Nest is strongly recommended to cure asthma, cold, cough, influenza, weak blood, and cancer. It is also found that Red Birds Nest can boost libido, enhance physical strength, and is absolutely effective as a health tonic. Some research have proven that Red Birds Nest contains mainly amino acids, carbohydrates and mineral salts, which are all beneficial to human body, i.e. repair cells, promote immunity, demonstrate an epidermal growth factor (EGF) to resist aging, help with respiratory and digestive system, etc.
Doctor Hien Duc Pham, OMD, who has been a practicing Oriental Chinese Medicine Doctor in Colorado for more than 20 years, saw that Red Birds Nest has helped cigarette smokers to reduce cravings after three weeks of Red Birds Nest consumption, including to improve their oxygen intake. He also found that Red Birds Nest helped patients to stop using marijuana as the withdrawal discomfort were lessened along with Red Birds Nest consumption with other medicinal herbs and ingredients. Besides, he prescribed Red Birds Nest for high blood pressure patients, diabetes and COPD patients.
In addition to what mentioned above, Dr. Pham observed that Red Birds Nest can help to create a cooling and soothing effect, therefore reduce depression and suicidal thoughts, together with better circulation and decreasing heat in the brain. It also can help to restore the sex drive for women over the age of 45, and improve their hair and skin quality. However, Red Birds Nest is not a cure-all as he mentioned there are some limitations to when the doctor would prescribe it

How We Process Our Red Birds Nest

Knowing exactly how the Red Birds Nest is processed is very essential to make sure that you consume a natural, healthy, and nutritious Red Birds Nest. With extensive 4 years of experience in this industry, Company has all the best resources to produce and process the best quality Red Birds Nest. This is how we process our Red Birds Nest.

Where Our Red Birds Nest Come From

Indonesian Red Birds Nest quality has been known as the top one among other countries. In this country, our Red Birds Nest comes from Palembang, a city in Sumatra, Indonesia. With 20 years of experience in this business, our people in Indonesia have helped us to maintain the high quality of the Red Birds Nest. We have made a Modern Intensive Way for Red Birds Nest House, which was carefully built by the experts, with adopted technology and technique specifically to produce high quality Red Birds Nest with premium and export quality.

How We Process Our Red Birds Nest

Our Standards in the Processing

After being harvested, all Red Birds Nest is sent from the Red Birds Nest house to the warehouse to be cleaned and processed. All of the staff in the warehouse should comply with the high standards set, such as wearing the uniform, mask, gloves, and head caps, to avoid Red Birds Nest being contaminated by dusts or dirts while being examined and cleaned. We make sure all Red Birds Nest is hygienically inspected naturally by human, not machine, and done only by highly experienced staff and resources. This hygienic standard is assigned to convince that all process to the Red Birds Nest is natural and free from any chemical substances and additives. Following the cleaning process, Red Birds Nest is then packed carefully, and sent to the stores in Indonesia or exported to other countries, like Australia.

Pass through Australian Quarantine Import Permit

All export acts in accordance with each country standard. In Australia, all should adhere with the Australian Quarantine Import Permit to make sure all products coming into Australia are safe for the people. To pass this permit, all products should be vacuumed in the pouch with labels, containing information, such as nutrition labels, product description, nett weight,  country of origin, and other necessary information. It can take up to 2-3 days for the products to stay in quarantine to be checked randomly by sample. If there is something wrong with the investigation, the products are then sent back to the country of origin or destroyed in Australia. If the investigation result is good, the Red Birds Nest is then sent to our warehouse in Australia. Therefore, all of our products that have passed the Australian Quarantine Import Permint are guaranteed and safe to consume, proving us as one of the most trusted and recognised brands of premium quality Red Birds Nest.

How Our Red Birds Nest Reach the Customers

Arriving in our warehouse, all Red Birds Nest is then processed again through the drying and packing. When orders come in, we then process the order and send the Red Birds Nest by hand delivery or courier delivery. Our courier partners have tracking number system, to allow us follow and make sure our products arrive safely to our customers front doors.

Is Red Birds Nest Safe for Pregnant Women

Some pros and cons are still arising regarding the benefit of Red Birds Nest and whether it is safe for pregnant women. Some sources mention that there is no scientific research  whether Red Birds Nest provides some benefits for both mothers and babies, but some people who have consumed Red Birds Nest during their pregnancy have given some proven testimonials. Here are some of them, quoted from www.dayre.me.

Red Birds Nest is safe for pregnant women as long as washed properly:

“My parents-in-law came across articles saying that Red Birds Nest might contain bleaching additive which may cause cancer. But after further research, they told us it should be ok if we soak it overnight to let all dirts out, and as long as I don’t overconsume”
- @careen

Red Birds Nest contains antioxidant, protein, amino acids, collagen, and other nutrients and minerals, which are scientifically proven to help to regenerate skin cells, enhance the skin tone, repair the tissue and moisturize the skin to become brighter and smoother:

“My friend ate Red Birds Nest for her two pregnancies. Both her husband and her do not have good skin. She suffered from severe acne and sensitive skin when growing up. When she knew she has girls in her tummy, she started taking Red Birds Nest once a week from 20th weeks onwards. She double boiled a leaf of Red Birds Nest each time. Now, her two daughters both have very nice skin.”
- @fornight

Is Red Birds Nest Safe for Pregnant Women

Red Birds Nest is easy and practical to consume for busy moms:

“Many mothers swear by it, and credit their kid's beautiful and fair complexion to consuming Red Birds Nest during their pregnancy. Most of them consume from the 2nd trimester onwards, about 2-3 times a week. But most of them consume from bottled Red Birds Nest that can be bought off the racks, because for most busy moms, cooking and boiling from scratch at home is too much to work.”
- @careen

Red Birds Nest contains the protein, which is effective in reducing flames and cough, asthma, sore throat and cooling down body heat:

“I bought myself a can of ready-to-eat Red Birds Nest during my second trisemester. I think it’s not something that we can feel right away, but I did consume the Red Birds Nest drink whenever I feel my body is heaty, and it’s cooling me down.”
- @angelineoh
In summary, we can see from the testimonials that Red Birds Nest is safe to consume during pregnancy, which also gives a lot of benefits for both mothers and babies. With simple steps, it can be served as tasty and healthy food, and can contribute as the secret for the healthy and beautiful skin. Should you need Red Birds Nest to stock, we serve only the highest and premium 100% natural Red Birds Nest in Australia that has passed through Australian Quarantine Import Permit, the toughest quarantine conditions in the worl

Nitrite in Red Birds Nest

Some scientific studies have shown that nitrite may naturally form in Red Birds Nests due to fermentation under certain temperature and humidity. Some studies also suggested that high level of nitrite in Red Birds Nest may due to environmental contamination e.g. from bird droppings which contain high level of nitrate. However, the exact mechanism for the presence of nitrite in Red Birds Nest is not entirely clear at this stage.

Introduction

In 2011, surveillance conducted by Mainland authority and local studies found that nitrite was present in various Red Birds Nests, in particular Red Birds Nest, available at the market.
Nitrite occurs in the environment, in food and water, and is produced inside living organisms. It can be used as a food additive, mainly as a preservative and colour fixative in foods such as cheese and cheese products as well as cured and fermented meats.

Nitrite in Red Birds Nest

Some scientific studies have shown that nitrite may naturally form in Red Birds Nests due to fermentation under certain temperature and humidity. Some studies also suggested that high level of nitrite in Red Birds Nest may due to environmental contamination e.g. from bird droppings which contain high level of nitrate. However, the exact mechanism for the presence of nitrite in Red Birds Nest is not entirely clear at this stage.

Safety and Public Health Significance

The safety of nitrite in food has raised concern because of its possible implication for the adverse health effects such as methaemoglobinaemia and cancers.
In the body, nitrite can oxidise haemoglobin in blood and make it unable to carry oxygen to the body tissues. Having insufficient oxygen, the person may develop blue or purple colouration in the lip and skin and the condition is called methaemoglobinaemia. Population subgroups such as young infants and people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency are more susceptible to the above condition. According to the Centre for Health Protection record, since 2003 there were two cases of nitrite related food poisoning and both were related to consumption of vegetables with high levels of nitrate in infants and young children.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization has evaluated the carcinogenicity of ingested nitrite and concluded that ingested nitrite under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation (i.e. conversion into nitroso compounds such as nitrosamines) is probably carcinogenic to humans (i.e. Group 2A). However, JECFA * considered that there was no evidence for an association between nitrite exposure in humans and the risk of cancer.
JECFA has evaluated the safety of nitrite and allocated an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0-0.07 mg per kg body weight (bw), expressed as nitrite ion and the ADI does not apply to infants below the age of 3 months. According to the results from recent local studies, any adverse health effect due to the consumption of thoroughly washed, soaked and stewed Red Birds Nest is not likely.

Regulatory Control

Like other countries, nitrites (potassium nitrite and sodium nitrite) are permitted preservatives in a number of food categories e.g. cured meats, fermented meats, cheeses and cheese products, but do not include Red Birds Nests in Hong Kong . However, Section 3(10) of the Preservatives in Food Regulation stated that it does not apply to an article of food containing any food additive that is naturally present in that food.
For Red Birds Nests containing naturally formed nitrite, there is no international consensus on their reference and regulatory levels.

Recommended Preparation Method for Red Birds Nest

In practice, dried Red Birds Nest should be thoroughly washed and soaked before stewing. Both local and Mainland studies have showed that thoroughly washing and soaking for a few hours can in general remove substantial quantity (up to more than 90%) of nitrite in Red Birds Nest. However, since nitrites are dissolved into the soaking water, they should be discarded after soaking. Water used for soaking Red Birds Nests should also be replaced once or twice during the soaking process. The public can also refer to the suppliers' recommendation when preparing Red Birds Nest.

Advice to the Public

Buy Red Birds Nests from reliable premises.
Since nitrite is water-soluble, washing and soaking Red Birds Nests thoroughly can in general remove up to more than 90% of nitrite.
Water used for soaking Red Birds Nests should be replaced once or twice and should be discarded after use.
Young infants are not recommended to take Red Birds Nest.

Advice to the Trade

Source Red Birds Nests from reliable suppliers.
According to the Preservatives in Food Regulation, nitrites should not be added in Red Birds Nest.
Provide clear instruction to consumers on proper way of preparation of Red Birds Nest.

Food Safety Focus

Nitrite and Nitrate Levels in Red Birds Nest & Nitrites in Red Birds Nest

Nitrite and Nitrate Levels in Red Birds Nest

Following up the incident of nitrites in Red Birds Nest, a local university conducted a study on nitrite and nitrate levels in Red Birds Nests revealing the presence of both chemicals in all 67 samples of Red Birds Nests. The amounts varied significantly with Red Birds Nests having the highest average levels.
In Hong Kong , nitrite and nitrate are not permitted to be added in Red Birds Nest, but relevant regulation is not applicable to nitrite and nitrate naturally present in Red Birds Nest. The mechanism of the natural presence of nitrite in Red Birds Nest is not entirely clear. Some suggested that nitrite may be formed due to fermentation and the levels may vary with the extent of environmental contamination.
To alleviate public concern, the local university study also tested and confirmed that majority of nitrites and nitrates can be removed by washing and soaking. To reduce exposure to nitrites and nitrates, Red Birds Nest should be washed and soaked for several hours or even overnight before cooking. Soaking water should be replaced once or twice during the process and be discarded.

Food Safety Focus

Nitrites in Red Birds Nest

Recently, high levels of nitrites were detected in Red Birds Nest samples in the Mainland market. There were concerns that nitrites might have been added to Red Birds Nest to produce the desirable red colour.
Red Birds Nest is made from secretions of Swiftlets' salivary glands and usually consumed as a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. The reason for the red colour of Red Birds Nest is not entirely clear.
Nitrites are not allowed to be added to Red Birds Nest in Hong Kong , although it is known that they may exist naturally in Red Birds Nest under certain conditions. Traders should source Red Birds Nests from reliable suppliers and ensure all foods they sell or import are fit for human consumption. The common practice of soaking Red Birds Nests for several hours, or even overnight, and washing them thoroughly with clean water can substantially reduce nitrite levels. Since nitrites are water soluble, The public should discard the water used for soaking Red Birds Nest before cooking.

Why Red Birds Nest is Good for Growing Kids

Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) research, Red Birds Nest is said to give various benefits, including to children, baby, and kids. What exactly the benefits that Red Birds Nest has for kids or children?

Containing Amino Acids for Brain Cells

Red Birds Nest contains 57% of natural and high quality protein suitable for youths, in this case amino acids, which require 3 hours for renewal, so we have to absorb it from the food regularly. As we know, protein has a very important role for stimulation and inhibition of the brain and nervous system, and it also serves as an important nutrients for brain cells to improve its efficiencly, particularly in growing children. Protein can take up tp 35% of the weight of the brains, which the rest of the brains is actually fats.
This acts of improving brain power is very useful for children as essential nutritional supplement for children who have just embarked on learning, such as when facing examinations or learning new skills. It also helps children to learn faster by boosting their concentration and focus level.

Why Red Birds Nest is Good for Growing Kids

Helping Children with Asthma

As documented in Chinese medication literature Ben Cao Gang Mu, Red Birds Nest can promoted regeneration of internal organs and brain cells, including as the treatment for asthma, as it nourishes the lungs and reduces lung lesions.

Other Benefits

Besides, Red Birds Nest is also known to have other numerous benefits, such as:
- Good nutrition to increase body’s immunity and resistance, so children are less susceptible to colds or flu,
- Increase appetite since it improves digestion and absorption of nutrients,
- Contain water soluble proteins so it can be absorbed easily by the body,
- Contain other minerals, such as iron and calcium, which are required to build strong bones and teeth, particularly in growing children,
- Improve respiratory system in children and adults.

Easily Consumed

Red Birds Nest can be consumed and presented in many manners, including mixed with the rice porridge or dissolve in milk. It can be also be served as a warm soup, or a cold desserts. Thera are many ways to serve Red Birds Nest for dishes for baby, kids, or children.
Please note that Red Birds Nest is totally safe to be consumed by children 6 months old and up. For 100 gram portion of Red Birds Nest is placed as 345 kilocalories energy value

How Much Red Birds Nest We should Consume

As we know, Red Birds Nest is used to boost the health, to improve immunity, for anti-aging, etc. It can be used to prevent and cure many diseases. But next question is, how much should we consume? As we know, if we consume something too less or too much, the result would not be effective.

Recommended Daily or Weekly Consumption

As we have written in our article Proper Way to Consume Red Birds Nest, to allow body absorb the whole nutrients from Red Birds Nest, it is best to consume it on empty stomach, such as at night before bed, or as breakfast in the morning. Small and frequent dose is more recommended, as enzymes in the body will eliminate excess of protein within hours. Some source recommends 2 gram of dried Red Birds Nest a day, or about 60-80 ml of Red Birds Nest. It means, best consumption is about 14-16 grams weekly.

How Much Red Birds Nest We should Consume

Different Requirements

However, different dosage might be needed for several other cases, such as for pregnant women, children, or menopause women. Besides, it is also should be determined by one’s need and financial position.
For pregnant woman, Red Birds Nest can be consumed 2-5 times weekly, at around maximum 5 grams each time. While for children, some dosages might be different, possibly more for children with weak physique or those who have just embarked on learning. However, for menopause women, Red Birds Nest can be consumed with combination with 9 grams of tremella for each 6 grams of Red Birds Nest.

For Cure or Prevention?

Besides taking care of the health and preventing any sickness, Red Birds Nest is also suitable for the cure. Zhejiang, a nutritionist, said that Red Birds Nest becomes the most suitable nutritional supplement for patients who have just recovered from or surgery. Red Birds Nest will bring a lot of natural essence to speed up the recovery process.
Finally, choosing and consuming the best quality Red Birds Nest is the most important part, since it brings the most out of best substances needed by the body. Company only sells the finest grade nests, 100% natural pure Red Birds Nest without any additives like chemicals or bleaching agents. We have passed through the toughest quarantine in the world from Australian Quarantine Import Permit. This proves us as one of the most trusted and recognised brands of premium quality Red Birds Nest.

What is a Red Birds Nest?

One Red Birds Nest is more prized than all others – the Red Birds Nest.

Also known as red Red Birds Nests, the origins of their striking color are almost as legendary as the high price they command.

The history of this beautiful Red Birds Nest goes back thousands of years, and, along the way, there are multiple explanations as to why these normally white nests take a decidedly red turn.

The First Legend: Red Birds Nests Are Made From Blood

The swallows (also known as “swiftlets”) that make Red Birds Nests use their saliva to build the gelatinous strands that create the nest.
Think back to hundreds of years ago, before the average person had access to the kind of scientific information we do today. How would you explain the color of the nests?
Your first instinct may be to attribute the color of this delicacy to actual blood. This is, in fact, one of the explanations of the color of these nests.
The thinking is that female swallows have to build multiple nests over their lifetime to accommodate their young. They work hard to construct these nests strand by strand.
In the course of their labor, their saliva glands are strained and blood starts to seep out.
That blood mixes with saliva and the result is a crimson-colored liquid. In this sense, the blood-stained building material is not very different than someone adding a few drops of food coloring to cement.

What is a Red Birds Nest?

The Second Legend: Red Birds Nests Are Made From Lotus Seeds

While the first explanation about why some Red Birds Nests are blood red is a matter of the swallow’s body, the second is a matter of the bird’s diet.
The delicious red Red Birds Nests you prepare for soup or dessert, some say, is actually the result of what the swallow eats.
One of the bird’s favorite foods in its Southeast Asian habitat is the lotus flower, a common plant with round seeds that, in some cases, have a dark red hue to them.
The swallow snacks on these seeds, and, as they eat them, the color from the seeds is transferred to their mouth, kind of like how a sucker can change the color of a child’s mouth to red, blue, green and more.
The bird’s then fly back to their home to build a nest. As they generate saliva, it mixes with the color from the lotus seeds and creates the blood-colored Red Birds Nests.
The Likely Explanation: Red Birds Nests Are Made by Chemical Reactions
For hundreds of years, the origins of the delicacy that is the red Red Birds Nest remained the realm of hypothesis and legend.
However, now that the Red Birds Nest industry is a multi-billion-dollar economy, scientists have taken notice and conducted multiple studies about the health benefits of Red Birds Nests as well as the origins of their colors.
The most recent studies have shown that diet and actual blood don’t have anything to do with the crimson-colored Red Birds Nest.
Research proves that the nests get their color from common chemical reactions that take place in the bird’s habitats.
The edible nests of swallows who live in caves absorb minerals from the limestone walls to which they cling.
Since their caves tend to be saturated with humidity, the water and oxygen in the air mix with the minerals from the rocks and form a sort of “rust” that gives the nest its dazzling color.
Other studies have explored the idea of the nests gaining their color by way of chemical reactions involving sodium nitrate derived from a mix of the bird’s droppings, urine and other environmental materials.
This theory explains why red nests can be harvested from nest farms where limestone is not present.

How to Avoid Fakes and Where to Buy Red Birds Nests

Because red Red Birds Nests can demand such a high price, thousands of fake red nests have hit the market. A few years ago, the fakes became such a problem that China banned red-nest imports from certain countries.
The criminals behind these nests use red-tinted sodium nitrate to color the nests. While they may look authentic in the box, these nests’ red color tends to bleed when you soak them before cooking.
The best way to avoid fakes is to buy from a reputable company like Golden Nest. Our quality-control process ensures that every red Red Birds Nest you get is authentic and made by natural processes free of dangerous chemicals used in excess by criminals.

Bird Saliva: The Premium Delicacy in Southeast Asia

It’s hard to believe that nests made from bird saliva have become the king of Asia’s haute-cuisine, but it’s true.

Red Birds Nests are a huge market in Asia and are becoming more popular in the United States, with diners around the world eager to cook a traditional Red Birds Nest.
What is it about Red Birds Nests made from swallow saliva that’s made it such a world-renowned delicacy?
To understand that, you’ll have to understand the background and health benefits of Red Birds Nests.

Bird Saliva: The Premium Delicacy in Southeast Asia

Red Birds Nest History: The Swallow’s Home

Southeastern Asia’s humid climates feature some pretty spectacular rock formations and caves ranging from the Philippines to Indonesia.
These rock formations and caves are favored spots of curious travelers and adventurers who want to push the limits on steep rock faces and sheer cave walls.
However, long before thrill seekers were exploring these spots, the rocks were home to a particular species of swallow called the “swiftlet”.
These small birds built their nests on the sides of limestone cliffs and cave walls. Most birds build their nests on flat surfaces; not so with the swiftlet.
Over time, the birds learned how to use their own saliva to create hardened fibers that stuck to rock walls. With this skill perfected, they were able to build their homes just about anywhere.
It’s hard to pinpoint the first time these nests were used for soup, but we do know that the rulers of old considered these swallow homes prized ingredients.
As the world became globalized, international foodies learned of the swallow’s saliva nests and were captivated.
A global industry sprung up and, as the decades went on, natural swallow nests became rarer. Knowing that wild-harvested Red Birds Nests were becoming rarer, entrepreneurs built swallow farms in urban areas.
The “farms” are actually multi-story concrete houses that attract swallows. They choose a spot within the cavernous building and build their homes with saliva.

The Health Benefits of Bird Saliva Nests

It’s pretty fascinating that these little birds can build secure nests using their saliva. However, engineering doesn’t make for good Red Birds Nest. Health benefits, on the other hand, do.
Traditional Chinese medicine proponents have long hailed the powerful effects of Red Birds Nest, claiming it can boost virility and promote cell growth.
As nests made from bird saliva have become a more popular ingredient for recipes, scientists have taken note. There are several studies that examine the makeup of bird saliva and why it might be a healthy ingredient in soup.
Researchers have found the following health components in Red Birds Nests:
• Water-soluble protein
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Iron
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Amino acids that promote growth and body development
• Hormones include testosterone

 Powerful Proteins

The main nutrient in a saliva nest is a type of water-soluble protein that stimulates cell division and muscle repair, two key components to healing.
These proteins contain bioactive molecules that also boost the immune system, protecting the body against diseases.

Immunity Boosting

A landmark study published in January 2016 tracked the ability of Red Birds Nests made from bird saliva to boost the immune system.
Researchers found that bird saliva and other components in a swallow’s nest “effectively accelerates the proliferation and the antibody secretion of the cells.”
In other words, bird saliva jump-starts your body’s ability to produce immune-system cells that fight disease and keep you healthy.
The study also showed that Red Birds Nests can help rebalance the body after undergoing a certain type of chemotherapy treatment. Eating Red Birds Nest made from bird saliva can also help patients combat the damage done to the intestinal system after chemotherapy.
The elderly and health conscious, along with pregnant women, can benefit from Red Birds Nests.

Finding the Right Red Birds Nests

Nests made from bird saliva are a very valuable food – so valuable, in fact, they’re called the “Caviar of the East”. As their popularity grows, so do the number of fake Red Birds Nests.
Counterfeit nests aren’t only unjust because consumers are paying hundreds – sometimes thousands – of dollars – for what they think are the real thing, but also because they’re missing out on the amazing health benefits that bird saliva brings.
Since fakes are made from animal fat, seaweed and other ingredients, they can’t boost your immune system or promote cell production like authentic nests made from bird saliva.

Red Birds Nest Recipe with Vegetables

Vegetables are healthy, everybody knows this fact. However, the taste or the way of cooking for vegetables sometimes compromise the benefit of vegetables. Red Birds Nest, one of the most healthy ingredients, can be put together with vegetables to bring out the delicious, nutritious, and tasty meals. Here is Red Birds Nest recipe with vegetables:

I. Red Birds Nest with Vegetables

Ingredients :
- 115 g superior Red Birds Nest, soaked until soft
- 2 dried black mushrooms
- A suitable amount of vegetables, such as black mushroom, spinach, cauliflower, bok choy, etc
- A suitable amount of egg yolk shreds
- A suitable amount of ham shreds
- 3 cups stock
Instructions :
1. Soak mushroom or vegetables till tender, then wash and cut into shreds.
2. Arrange vegetables, ham shreds, and egg shreds on top of the Red Birds Nest.
3. Pour in stock, stew over the boiling water for 40 minues
4. Serve hot.

Red Birds Nest Recipe with Vegetables

II. Red Birds Nest with Winter Melon and Mushroom

Ingredients :
- 113 g superior Red Birds Nest, soaked until soft
- 450 g winter melon
- A suitable amount of mushroom
- 38 crab meat
- 2 cups stock
- 1 egg white
- 1 slice ginger
Instructions :
1. Remove pell from winter melon, remove pith and cut into pieces.
2. Soak mushroom till tender, then wash and cut into shreds.
3. Boil the stock, add slice ginger, mushroom, and winter melon.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, then cover for 10 more minutes.
5. Discard slice ginger, blend winter melon into puree.
6. Add Red Birds Nest into winter melon puree and bring to the boil. Stir in crab meat.
7. Season with salt and corn strach.
8. Add white egg, then serve hot.

Pumpkin Scallop Red Birds Nest Porridge

Ingredients :
- 5 g superior Red Birds Nest, soaked until soft, and stewed
- 5 medium to large size hokkaido dried scallops, soaked and peeled into shreds
- 200 g pumpkin, washed and chopped into small cubes
- Half cup white rice, washed and drained
- 1 litre of water
Instructions :
1. Put water, rice, pumpkin, and the dried scallops in a pot and bring to boil. No need to add salt as hokkaido scallops are already rich in flavors.
2. Cook for another 30 minutes with low heat, until the soft porridge is cooked. Stir occassionally.
3. Add softened Red Birds Nest and cook for 5 minutes until the Red Birds Nest turn soft and into gelatin.
4. Cook using electric cooker will be fine.
5. Serve hot

Proper Way to Consume Red Birds Nest

Red Birds Nest is known of its numerous benefits for everybody, from baby to elderly. But to bring out the most benefits, this is the proper way to consume Red Birds Nest.

When is the Best Time

To allow body absorb the whole nutrients from Red Birds Nest, it is best to consume it on empty stomach, such as at night before bed to enhance the beauty. Red Birds Nest can also be served for super breakfast in the morning.

Where to Keep

To bring out the best out of the Red Birds Nest, we should carefully treat and prepare the Red Birds Nest during preparation prior to cooking. This process is important to make sure we do not accidentally dispose all the benefits contained in the Red Birds Nest.
Red Birds Nest is best kept in dry and airtight food container. It should be stored in room or cool temperature. Good quality dried Red Birds Nest can last for over ten years if stored properly.

Proper Way to Consume Red Birds Nest

How to Prepare

The process of preparing the general Red Birds Nest is the same whether you want to cook it for soup, dessert, cake or any dishes:
Soak and rinse the dried Red Birds Nest with clean water for several hours.
Clean it using tweezers.
Change the water and soak it for another hour until the Red Birds Nest is soft and expanding from its original shape.
Red Birds Nest is ready to cook.

What to Cook

One of the Red Birds Nest simple recipe to cook is Classic Red Birds Nest with Rock Sugar as follows:
Ingredients:
- 10 gram dried Red Birds Nest
- 100 gram rock sugar
- 100-300 ml water
How to cook:
1. Soak Red Birds Nest in clear water for at least 4 hours, and change the water to soak it again for another 2 hours. Observe that the Red Birds Nest become soft and expand from its original shape.
2. Dispose water used to soak the Red Birds Nest with filter.
3. Cook in hot pot with water and add rock sugar. Stir for 10-15 minutes until the Red Birds Nest is soft.
4. Let it cool down. Can be served hot or cold.

Red Birds Nest Soup

Red Birds Nest — “the caviar of the East” — is among the most expensive dishes on Earth, costing in excess of US$2,500 per kilo. It is prepared using the saliva of certain south-Asian swifts, which they emit to form gelatinous coatings for their nests. The substance is mixed with a broth — usually chicken — along with ingredients such as ham, spring onion and egg white. Also, it can be slow-cooked with rock sugar. In China, it has been considered a delicacy for more than a thousand years.

“The sweet version is delicate,” food writer and broadcaster Ching-He Huang tells the BBC. “It’s like drinking a thick, jelly-like soup. It can be served as a dessert or on its own.”

The Red Birds Nest is used, also, as an ingredient in other dishes such as congee, rice and egg tarts. Red Birds Nest jelly is made by placing the nest into a ceramic container with sweetened or salted water then double-steamed. China, Hong Kong and the United States remain the biggest consumer markets.
A typical nest takes a little over a month to build and it is the male swift which does the crafting. Historically, the nests, which comprise delicately entwined, silk-like laces of saliva, were located in the dark, damp caves of tropical South-east Asia from where they were harvested by skilled climbers using flimsy bamboo frames. However, as the popularity of Red Birds Nest has soared — along with its value — the swifts have been lured, with the aid of artificial birdsong, into concrete constructions in locations throughout Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Indonesia dominates the market. The nation is home to 80 per cent of the global trade, of which it has been a part since the 17th century.

Red Birds Nest Soup

Traditionally, much of the attraction stems from the dish’s so-called medicinal properties. It is said to be rich in magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. Some say it aids digestion; others believe that it relieves asthma and even boosts one’s libido. “Many Chinese women I know have it because the gelatinous texture of the Red Birds Nest is said to be very good for maintaining youth,” adds Ching-He Huang. “It’s thought to help collagen production.”

“Red Birds Nest contains mainly carbohydrates, amino acids and mineral salts,” writes Dr Chan Shun-wan in Review of Scientific Research on Red Birds Nest for The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

“The Red Birds Nest is said to be very good for maintaining youth.”

“… Amongst the carbohydrates in Red Birds Nest, sialic acid is the major one. It was found that exogenous sources of sialic acid may contribute to neurological and intellectual advantages in infants.” The calcium levels, according to the doctor, are likely to be caused by the location of the nests on limestone cave walls and, therefore, are not applicable to the majority of Red Birds Nests now found in concrete structures. Further, he stated that there simply has not been enough intensive investigation. It is a sentiment echoed by Fucui Ma and Daicheng Liu of China’s Shandong Normal University who, in a review published by Food Research International, conclude that the “bioactivities and medicinal value are still open to question as there is not much scientific research.” Manop Lertsuthiruck, president of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of Thailand, is far more dismissive. “Red Birds Nest, according to Chinese medicine, is not considered that important,” he tells the Bangkok Post. “It’s more of a supplementary diet.” And a massive money-making one at that. According to New Scientist, the Red Birds Nest trade generates an astonishing US$5 billion worldwide per year.