Bird’s Nest
Ingredient Name: Bird’s Nest
Traditional Chinese Name: yan wo (燕窝)
- Bird’s nest are literally the nests created by swiftlets, a small bird found throughout southeast asia
- Swiftlet nests are composed of interwoven strands of the bird’s gummy saliva which harden when exposed to air
- The bird’s nest are one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans in the world
- When cooked in water, the bird’s nest provide soups with a smooth, gelatinous quality
- The flavour is very neutral with almost no taste and bird’s nest is commonly used in sweet soups or simply double-boiled with rock sugar as a dessert.
How do I prepare it?
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Soak the bird’s nest for several hours or overnight in cool or room temperature water
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For optimum results, we highly recommend double-boiling bird’s nest (instead of straight boiling)
Where can I buy this?
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You can purchase from most Chinese herb shops and some Asian supermarkets
What is the cost?
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Bird’s nest vary greatly when it comes to cost depending on the type and grade you buy (broken or whole, clean, bloody or not cleaned, etc…).
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As an example, for the whole, cleaned bird’s nest (picture above), expect each piece to cost at least $10 CAD each.
Any benefits?
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Bird’s nest are rich in protein, calcium, iron and other nutrients
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According to traditional chinese medicine, bird’s nest nourishes the yin, strengthens kidneys, alleviates yang, advances the spleen and moistens lungs, among others
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In Asia, many pregnant women will consume large amounts of bird’s nest in hopes of giving their child-to-be smooth, white skin.
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It is also considered to be an aphrodisiac
Any precautions?
- If you have purchased unclean bird’s nest, be sure to clean thoroughly
- Some doctors (my own included) will recommend pregnant women to eat bird’s nest sparingly
- Consuming too much bird’s nest can adversely affect your bank account balance
Resources
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Not only is it a health product, bitd’s nest is also a wonderful ingredient for beauty treatment. Pretty ladies use bird’s nests to enhance their skin complexion.