* Soak dry bird’s nest in cold water (20_C – 25_C) for 2-4 hours (depend on each nest)
* Dry the soaked bird’s nest and tear into shreds, rinse it with clean water to eliminate impurity
* Simmer in billing water for 5 minutes, dry it and immediately put into ice water for cooling
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According to Chinese medicine, the sweet flavor mainly enters the spleen channel. Sweet food is gentle, not cold or hot in nature. It has properties that give an alleviating and replenishing effect to the body. Consuming adequate amounts of sweet food can regulate the body functions. The bird’s nest tastes and swells better as sweet dish.
ImageFor preparing a sweet dish: The rock sugar should be added 15 min prior to completion of the dish. This will maintain the best qualities of the bird’s nest.
A salty dish is referred to all foodstuffs that are seasoned with salt. Salt is cold in nature and tastes salty. It can clear away heat, cool the blood and expel toxins. The salty flavor mainly enters the kidney channel. Consuming adequate amounts of salt can replenish and nourish the kidney. It is particularly suitable for patients with diabetes mellitus.
For preparing a salty dish: the salt should be added to the bird’s nest upon serving. If salt is added before cooking the bird’s nest will disintegrate, shrink and become crunchy.
Hot is warm and dry and is Yang is nature. Its property is active, moving and open. Hot dishes are suitable for people whose bodies are cool or cold in nature.
Cold is cool and cold and is Yin in nature. Its properties are calming and resting. Cold dishes are suitable for people whose bodies are warm or hot in nature.
ImageTraditional Chinese medicine extensively uses the theory of Yin and Yang to explain the histological structure, physiological function, and pathological changes of the human body, and to serve as guide for diagnosis of treatment. Yin and Yang represent two opposite aspects of every object that always restricts and act on the other. Generally speaking, anything that is moving, ascending, bright, progressing, hyperactive, including functional disease of the body, pertains to Yang. The characteristics of stillness descending, darkness, degeneration, hypoactive, including organic disease, pertain to Yin.
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Swell the bird’s nest with one or two changes of clear water. The water need not be retained after swelling. Follow the swelling time printed on the package since this varies depending on the kind of bird’s nest purchased.
Place the swollen bird’s nest on a double-layer stainless steel strainer, rinse with tap water and at the same time tear the threats of the bird’s nest apart to remove the impurities.
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Bird’s nest contains the precious salivary secretion of swallow. As with other foodstuff, it should be stored properly. The ideal method is to store the bird’s nest in an airtight storage jar followed by refrigeration. Shopkeepers who stock good quality bird’s nests should be able to offer valuable advice on correct storage. The bid’s nest can be dried in front of the air-conditioner if it is wet. However, beware not to dry by baking or by direct sunlight.
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The different products of bird’s nests that can be found in the market include the natural whole nest, nest strips, nest pieces, nest threads and the irregular shaped nest cake processed from nest threads.
The marketed bird’s nest are produced by three different swallow species
The swiftlet: The nest of swiftlet is constructed entirely by its saliva and is commonly termed a whole nest. Since the swiftlet feet on the different food, the saliva and the nest differ in color, varying farm from mainly white, yellow, grey, red and purple. The whole nest gives the best nourishing and replenishing effects to humans. The cooked bird’s nest taste mellow. (Swiftlets are small in size, only about 9 cm in length)
The feathered swallow: This little bird also constructs its nest from saliva and feathers. These nests are of less purity than the whole nest made by the swiftlet. After disintegration and removal of the feathers and impurities, the nest is molded into the shape of a nest cake. The nest cake comes in beautiful shapes and the colour is mainly white and yellow. The therapeutic value of the nest cake is only second to the whole nest. The nest cake has a good swelling capacity. The feathered swallow is found in caves in Malaysia. It has a slightly longer body than swiftlet.
The grass swallow: the body of the gross swallow is the grass is about 12 cm long. The nest is comprised of saliva and grass. Its purity is second to the nest of the feathered swallow and is the cheapest to purchase. Most of the nest pieces and nest threads sold in the markets are from gross swallows. They are the products after the nest has been disintegrated and impurities have been removed. The nest of grass swallow is mainly grassy and yellow in color. The swelling capacity is low but the price is reasonable. It is an excellent choice for beginner.
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In the article “Yan Wo Kao” (The investigation on bird’s nest) in Monthly Mingpao Vol. 231, Prof. Y. C. Kong and Prof. P. S. Kwan (1985) mentioned that in China the consumption of the bird’s nest was first documented in the ancient Chinese literature “Hai Yu” (The language of the sea) (Huang, 1536) in the Ming Dynasty. In “Min Zhong Hai Cuo Shu”. Tu (1596) stated that the bird’s nest is the food of the rich.
However, the medicinal value of the bird’s nest was only confirmed by several scholars about hundred years later after a long history of consumption and testing and has been promoted to be a nourishing and replenishing medicine with specific therapeutic effects. The literature of “Ben Cao Bei Yao” (The essential notes of materia medica) (Wang, 1694) and “Ben Cao Feng Yuan” (The medicinal herbs in the wild) (Zhang, 1695) of the Qing dynasty show evidence that the ancient Chinese had the belief that the bird’s nests did have some therapeutic effects and were used to cure disease. In the years 1757 to 1871, many scholars ang experts had discussed in their literatures in details the transformation of the bird’s nest from an expensive food to a precious medicine. They include the scripts “Ben Cao Cong Xin” (New Compendium of materia medica), “Ben Cao Qiu Zhen” (New compilation of materia medica) and “Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi’ (A supplement to the Compendium of materia medica). Prof. Kong further indicated that, according to Chinese literature, the bird’s nest does have obvious healing effects to post-stage tuberculosis, gastric ulcers and bleeding of the lung. Beside, it can promote growth.
In recent years Prof. Y. C. Kong has been conducting detailed investigations on bird’s nests. Based on repeatable results of in vitro exposure experiments he has discovered that the bird’s nest contain a “cell division inducing hormone” and an “epithelial growth factor” that can stimulate the growth and division of cells, thereby enhancing tissue growth, cellular regeneration and cell-mediated immunity in humans. The investigations have provided good scientific evidence that supports the notion that the bird’s nest can facilitate growth, replenish strength and vital energy, accelerate the recovery from disease and reinforce immunity. The specific animal proteins in an edible bird’s nest have the following three functions :
* To stimulate the regeneration of cells
* To enhance cell-mediated immunity
* To enhance the resistance of an individual to X-irradiated damage
This is the main reason why the proteins of other precious medicinal foods like the sea cucumber, abalone, scallop, and egg cannot be compared to those contained in the edible bird’s nest.
The bird’s nest help regulate the function of the endocrine system as well as other body functions. They strengthen the body, moisturize the skin, maintain beauty, provide energy and enhance the metabolism of fat. The bird’s nests are adaptable for either sex or any age group.
The consumption of bird’s nest during pregnancy can increase nutrition and improve the overall health of the mother and child and will give the infant a flexible mind. Woman consuming bird’s nest after giving birth can recover more quickly and slim rapidly to help maintain their beauty.
The stomach and spleen of newborns function weakly. This can easily cause diarrhea and the loss of appetite. Feeding the newborns with bird’s nest that has been dissolved in milk can improve these deficiencies. Babies that are 6 month old can be fed with rice porridge or congee containing bird’s nest.
Children require more nutrition during their growing period. Being fed with bird’s nests can help strengthen the body and stimulate the growth of the brain. Edible bird’s nest not only tastes good but when served with rock sugar, fresh milk or oatmeal aids digestion and constipation.
For youngsters, always consuming bird’s nest can enhance metabolism, strengthen various body functions and reinforce immunity. Besides, it can also smooth the skin and maintain eternal beauty. People, who are highly stressed and are busy in study and work can alleviate tiredness, relieve spiritual pressure and recover body strength through always consuming bird’s nest.
Bird’s nests are also beneficial to people who have just recovered from illness, who are old and weak, who suffer from asthma and who are always catching the cold or influenza. A regular diet of bird’s nest can help alleviate the trachea, smooth breathing, benefit the control of asthma, expel phlegm, recover vital energy and extend longevity. It is particularly effective to those who have sleep disorders, bronchitis, coughs or hangovers. Bird’s nests also show obvious therapeutic effects to help moisturize and replenish the lung and clear away intestinal heat.
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Q: With swallow bird becomes farmed bird that produces nests, how could the swallow nests prices still be very high?
A: While most swallow bird indeed live in farms, but they are not human raised and fed (They are similar to bee farms). However, bee farm is generally easier to manage, as the farmer will move ‘the farm’. This is not the case for swallow nest farms. The swallow bird population in certain areas is limited with certain uncontrollable issues (e.g.: certain insect population, as its diet). As the market demand is steadily growing, to boost the supply is relatively difficult and slow.
Q: I notice the size of swallow bird nests. With that small size, how could it accommodate a couple of swallow birds?
A: Unlike many other birds, swallow bird does not live IN its nest. It just perches on the edge of the nest. The nest is just for laying their eggs and later, for their chicks.
Q: After I cooked the nest I bought, the soup is watery and the nest is completely dissolved. What is the problem?
A: While it’s possible that you have overcooked the nest (for how to cook, please visit our Recipes), it also might be because you purchased poor quality swallow nest. Please read our Purchase Tips.
Q: I just bought a swallow nest from a store, after I soaked for around 2 hours, the nest is expanded but split into 2 pieces. Is it normal?
A: No, it’s not normal. Unfortunately, it seems the nest you bought made from 2 smaller pieces that were ‘glued’ together. Since the glue is usually water soluble, the nest will break apart once it’s immersed in water. The worse scenario if part of it is just ‘crumbs’. This is a practice so that the poor quality nest can be sold in higher price.
Q: I saw some swallow nest soup products in the market without an expiration date on it. Is it possible that the product will never be spoiled forever?
A: No. There is no such a product that will never be spoiled forever. The cap sealer is acting as a barrier, so air that contains some airborne organism can not penetrate the container. However, over period of time eventually the cap sealer will be deformed to allow some air to penetrate the container, and spoil the product. Please beware if the product does not have expiration date on it, as you might consume expired product that can affect to your health.
Q: How come there are great price differences for swallow nest soup products in the market?
A: The real quality determination for a swallow nest soup product is the swallow nest content in the soup, quality and quantity-wise. Please read our Purchase Tips.
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Collocalia Fuciphaga Species
* Popular name: White nest, House nest, Wild/Cave nest
* Produced by the largest bird (in size & population) among these 3 (edible nest producer) Collocalia species
* Uses mostly only gelatinous strands for forming the entire nest
* Gelatinous strands content in the unprocessed nest: 85 - 97%
* The most popular nests in the market, as it commands the highest price
* Varieties in color: White, Red, Gold
* Sold as whole pieces (most popular), stripes, crumbs, and cakes
Collocalia Esculanta Species
* Popular name: Grass nest
* Uses leaves (usually pine leaves) with its gelatinous strands as ‘glue’ for forming the nest
* Gelatinous strands content in the unprocessed nest: 5 - 15%
* Very popular for restaurant consumption because of its lowest price
* Sold as stripe (most popular), crumbs, and cakes
* Mostly have grayish color
Collocalia Maxima Species
* Popular name: Feather nest, Black Nest
* Molting in the process, and using their feathers with the gelatinous strands as ‘glue’ for making the nest
* Gelatinous strands content in the unprocessed nest: 5 - 15%
* Very popular in ’swallow nest cake-shape’ market
* Sold as cakes (most popular) and crumbs
* The strands look thick and strong
Wild / Cave Nest
Usually, there are two Collocalia species that live in caves, Collocalia Fuciphaga (White Nest) and Collocalia Maxima (Feather Nest). But the nest from Collocalia Fuciphaga (White nest) is what we usually called for Cave Nest in the market. Probably because the harvesting of cave nests is a potentially hazardous occupation, the Collocalia Fuciphaga cave nest commands the highest price in the overall swallow nest market. The cave nests, within the natural conditions of the cave, usually have a bowl-like shape, thick body, and strong legs. The bowl-like shape allows better protection for the eggs or chicks against predators and weather, and the extra strong and big legs are needed for the nests to stick on the wall, since the cave usually has a very high humidity level. Cave nest is found in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
House Nest
Grass Nest from the Collocalia Esculanta Species is the easiest to find in the swallow nest farm. As their population grows, this species will attract the Collocalia Fuciphaga Species, producers of the popular white house nests, even though it may take as long as 10 years. Depending on the nest color, the weather, and the insect population (as the bird’s diets), the nests are harvested between 1 and 4 times a year. This usually occurs right after the eggs are laid (in this case: the eggs are then moved to fake nests made of plastic, or to put the eggs in hatching machines), or right after the chicks are able to fly.
House nest is usually cultivated in the places where the cave that producing cave nest is nearby. To date, Indonesia is the leading country for producing and exporting house nest. This is mainly because the farmed swallow nest industry has started in Indonesia in the early 1960’s, while in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam still heavily depended on their Cave Nest until late 1990’s.
Why some nests have different colors is still a polemic debate. However, most of swallow nest farmers agree that the factors are including temperature, humidity level, and ammonia level of the farm/house (caused by birds’ excretion), also the insect species in that specific area (as birds’ diet). Especially for Collocalia Fuciphaga Species (Wild and House Nests), the nest colors command different prices as well.
Red Nest
This nest has a bright red color and commands the highest price among any other color, due to their high demand and rarity. Not many houses have this kind of nests, and even if they do, the nests can only be harvested 1 to 2 times a year. RED NEST and GOLD NEST production are less than 10% of overall bird nests market in the world.
Gold Nest
Same as Red Nest for rarity and price, this nest has an orange color ranging from tangerine peel color to egg-yolk color. Depending on the color, the lighter one may be priced slightly lower.
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South East Asia swallow birds, or Swifts (Collocalia Family), are very unique birds. They have short bills, wide mouths, very small and weak feet, and long, crescent-shaped wings. They are about the same size as sparrows, but their wingspan is wider than that of a pigeon. Based on these specifications, they have a very strong ability and endurance to fly. In fact, they are the fastest fliers known, capable of a 40-hour non-stop flight. They never perch or rest except when they are sleeping, building their nests, or feeding their chicks. Their diet is insects, caught in flight. The monogamous parents lay 2 eggs, incubated by both parents for 21 to 29 days. The chicks remain inside the nest for 43 days, before they are fully independent from their parents. The average longevity of the bird is varies from 10 to 20 years.
But the most exciting part about these swallow birds are their nests. Their nests look like a cupped hand, a hollow quarter-ball shape, with a 3-5″ diameter. One side is stuck to a wall (a cave wall in wild nests, or a man-made wooden base in cultivated/house nests), and the other side of the nest is a place for them to perch. Found within the hollow nest are either their eggs or their chicks. But it is their nest material that sets them apart from all other birds in the world. Right after they are mated, they regurgitate long, thin gelatinous strands from their salivary glands under their tongues. These strands play an important role in making their nests.
According to many classical Chinese books about health food, Swallow Nests were imported into China from the Southeast Asian region since the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). Even Joseph Needham stated similarly in Book 3, Volume 4 of his famous Science and Civilisation in China. Chinese records on Swallow Nests consist mainly of several categories of historical documentations, including official history, notes of scholars, travel records, books on dining, books on health food and books on medical herbs. In all these categories of documents, the earliest trustworthy record of Swallow Nests can only be found in those written or compiled during the Ming Dynasty.
Reviewing these documents reveals that the spread of Swallow Nests into Southern China and became well known by physicians, connoisseur, encyclopaedic scholars and traders began in early seventeenth century. During that time, many entries about Swallow Nests were recorded in the notes of scholars, books on medical herbs and books on dining. What remains unexplained is why such Swallow Nests remained little known for about two hundred years after they had been brought back by Zheng He before there were frequent mentions of them in documents written in the few decades around the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. It seems possible that a large promotion campaign about Swallow Nests had been launched during that period; and Swallow Nests were consequently turned into a well-known and well-accepted precious health food.
From those documents, it can be seen that there had been a progressive familiarity of the Swallow Nests through time. Finally, the records of around 1587 show that large amount of Swallow Nests were imported into China and that import duty was levied on them. In 1618, it was recorded that the amount imported had increased so much that a reduction of import duty was granted by the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Swallow Nests were well accepted as precious food by residents of Guangdong and Fujian Province. From then on, records about Swallow Nests became more and more detail and covered even their places of origin.
Hundreds of years after Swallow Nests had been accepted as a kind of precious food in China, they were further accepted by the Chinese to have medical and health enhancing effect. Descriptions of such effects were first found in the works of two famous practitioners of Chinese medicine in the Qing Dynasty. It can therefore be seen that the medical and health-enhancing effects of Swallow Nests were formally confirmed and accepted by Chinese medical practitioners only after about a century’s observation and validation. From then on, more detailed and comprehensive description of these effects can be found in some of the subsequent works on Chinese medicine. Principally, Swallow Nests have been considered as a substance that slows down the aging process, a rejuvenating agent. Swallow Nests also act as a demulcent to the lungs and have been used in relieving phlegm and coughs.
Based on modern researches, the protein contained in Swallow Nests is distinct in that it is mainly biologically active protein, which has revitalizing effects to human body. The researches reveal that Swallow Nests contains small amount of epidermal growth factor. Water extractant of Swallow Nests can also directly stimulate cell growth/regeneration and enhance the effectiveness of mitogen (the initiator in cell division). Also, this active protein in the nest makes it a very useful tonic for people with weak digestion system (e.g. elderly people), and for some that need a very rapid cell regeneration and development (e.g.: pregnant women, growing children). One of the most recent published researches is done by biochemist Dr. Kong Yun Cheong, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong ( www.cuhk.hk ). His research confirms the high content of water-soluble glyco-protein in Swallow Nests that promotes cell division within the immune system.
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