How to Choose Edible Bird Nest

Weight :

By looking at the difference of weight between the Bird Nest when it is wet and dry is one of the ways to determine the quality of the nest. High quality nests can weigh as much as 6 to 8 times when it is wet compared to being dry. When the multiple is high, it would also mean that when it is cooked, there would be a larger amount available for consumption.

How to Choose Edible Bird Nest

Cleanliness :

Having fewer feathers left in the edible Bird Nest is better. Bigger retail stores will have factories in Indonesia to take out the excess feathers. Consumers will only need to clean the Bird Nest with water and pick out any leftover feathers. However, they need to see whether the feathers are actually picked out or if the whole nest was bleached. Bleached nests will have a lower nutrition level.

Dryness :

Normal edible Bird Nest is 90% dry, if it is completely dry, it will easily crack. When choosing edible Bird Nest, consumers should pick ones that are firm and when touched, should feel that the edges are slightly sharp.

How To Cook Steam Egg Bird Nests

Steam Egg Bird Nests. A really simple and homely dish. Mmmm……who says bird nests can’t be savoury?
Recipe for 4 to 6 servings
• 1 piece of dried Bird Nest about 8gm (soaked)
• 2 eggs
• 250ml chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chinese rice wine
• A dash of pepper
• Follow instructions in video above, steam for about 8 to 10 mins.

How To Cook Pumpkin Scallop Bird Nests Porridge

Think Autumn Harvest And Sweet Golden Pumpkins Come To Mind. Gifts Of Love From Mother Earth.
This Autumn, our featured dish is a pot of wholesome, nutritious, tasty and rich Pumpkin Scallop Bird Nests Porridge. Warms the heart and soul. A simple yet healthy meal for all in your family!
Ingredients for 4 portions
• 5gm of dried bird nests (or, half of a large whole nest), soaked, drained and loosened
• 5 medium to large size hokkaido dried scallops, soaked and peeled into shreds
• 200gm pumpkin, washed and chopped into small cubes
• half cup white rice, washed and drained
• 1 litre of water
Recipe:
• Prior preparation time (before cooking) includes soaking the bird nests in water (about 2 hours),soaking the dried scallops in water (about 2 hours), chopping the pumpkin (5 mins).
• Place water, rice, pumpkin and dried scallops in a pot and bring to boil on an open stove.
• Lower the heat and cook for about 30mins, or until the soft porridge is cooked, stirring occasionally.
• Once porridge is soft, add in the softened bird nests and cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally, or until the bird nests turn soft and gelatin.

Tips:
• Using an electric cooker for porridge will do too.
• Hokkaido scallops are rich in flavors and there is no need to add salt to taste.
• If you are using Japanese pumpkins, they are harder and takes a little more time to soften.
• Pumpkins are sweet and rich in flavor too, and makes the porridge creamy.
Enjoy cooking your pot of Golden Pumpkin Porridge for your family!

How To Cook Soft Brown Rice Bird Nest Porridge

TeoChew Porridge?
Looks like it, but with a twist!
Healthy plain Bird Nest porridge, cooked using soft brown rice. Warm and nutritious.The special soft brown rice from Cambodia is rich in nutrients, magnesium,selenium, and various vitamins B. The premium white house bird nests are from Indonesia, full of proteins and amino acids. Combined and cooked into a nice warm pot of porridge.
A wholesome meal for all in the family. Great for breakfast or lunch! Enjoy the Bird Nest porridge with simple side dishes like stir-fried vegetables, stewed pork, steamed fish or eggs.
Interested in FREE soup cooking demo and tasting at your home? Or what about having your own Bird Nest party? Learn more here.

How to prepare dried Bird Nest for cooking

1 whole nest is sufficient to prepare 4 rice/dessert bowls of thick Bird Nest as illustrated in the recipe below.
Soak dried nests in a bowl of clear tap water for at least 4 hours.
Once softened, strained from bowl and are ready for cooking.
Strands can be loosened individually if preferred finer and smoother texture.
Step 1: Pandan flavoured soup
Boil a small pot of water using approximately 4 rice bowls of water. This portion is for thick soup using 2 whole nests, use more water if diluted soup is preferred. Generally, use 2 rice bowls of water for 1 whole Bird Nest.
Add in pandan leaves and boil for about 3 minutes until water turn light green and the aroma of pandan fragrance comes out.
Remove pandan leaves.
Step 2: Double Boil softened dried bird nests in soup
Place the softened dried bird nests into the pandan soup.
Double boil for about 15 to 20 minutes for best chewy, jelly soft texture. Avoid boiling too long as nests would become too soft.
Add desired amount of crystal rock sugar to taste.
Step 3: Serve your soup
Based on the above portions of bird nests and water, this pot of warm cooked soup can serve 4 rice/dessert bowls of thick Bird Nest.

Tips on cooking and consuming bird nests

Tip 1: For fast and best results, use a double boiler for cooking Bird Nest.
Tip 2: Bird nests are best consumed at night (between 10pm to 11pm) before bedtime, or early in the morning on an empty stomach as these are the optimum periods when the body readily repairs itself or absorb nutrients.
Tip 3: Anti-aging effects and smooth youthful looking skin come with long term regular consumption of bird nests. Consume about 50ml on a daily basis. A single piece of Bird Nest ($30) can be used to cook a small pot of 500ml soup. 50ml of soup is only $3! That’s $3 a day!
Tip 4: Although Bird Nest are best consumed when freshly cooked, it can be stored in closed containers in fridge for up to 10 days, and consumed over a period.
Tip 5: Bird Nest can be drank warm or cold! Bird nest dishes can be sweet or savoury!

Medical Based Benefits Research Information

According to scientific analysis, on the average, 70% of the nests contain forms of glycoprotein. Moreover, numerous health benefits have been documented in the Classics of Chinese Medicine.

Benefits of Bird Nest recognised in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

1. Nourishes the lungs, prevents cough, reduces lung lesions, including asthma, shortness of breath, chronic cough, bloody sputum, hemoptysis, hemoptysis, bronchitis, sweating, low heat.
2. Protects and improves stomach functions, refrain from cold stomach symptom, vomiting. Weak stomach caused by stomach upset, nausea, gurgling sound.
3. Helps in healing and recovery after any sickness and illness which causes one to feel tired easily, strengthen stomach immunity.
4. Prevents perspirant, deficiency of vital energy, weak and sweaty spleen, frequent urination, nocturia.
5. Promotes smooth and healthy skin with wrinkle reduction.
6. Various amino acids found in Bird Nest help in increase brain's efficiencies especially in growing children, as well as strengthens the body's immune system.
7. The consumption of bird nests among pregnant women have shown beneficial results to both the baby and the mum, especially their immune system.
8. Bird Nest is a natural body moisturizing food and contains various amino acids.
9. Frequent consumption of bird nests products have also shown significant improvement in patients recovering process from the side-effects of all sorts of diseases-related therapy.
10. Bird Nest has neutral taste but it is a health food that is nourishing and reduces heatiness.

Modern medical research on Bird Nest

1. 'Beauty Gene'
Bird Nest consists of a very important peptide hormone known as epidermic growth factor ('EGF'). EGF plays a very important function especially in beautifying genes. It stimulates cell division and proliferation, promotes cell differentiation, repairs damaged skin and surgical wound quickly and promote wound healing. It helps in enhancing the tenderness of skin and lower the rate of aging.
2. Treatment in respiratory system
Bird Nest works miraculously for respiratory system related sickness. Several ancient medical books highlighted on the usefulness of Bird Nest towards the pulmonary system disease treatment. Further, it acts as 'lungs cleaning agent' for those heavy smokers.
3. Cardiac, anti hypertensive effect
Bird Nest extracts has heart strengthening ability. Regular consumption of the extracts has shown significant results in lowering blood pressure.
4. Anti-oxidant & anti-aging
Latest medical research shows that Bird Nest is an antioxidant-containing food which helps in detoxification. Long term consumption of Bird Nest has also shown to help delay in aging.
5. Health care for expectant-mothers
According to the research of Prof. Wang Bing, reknown specialist from the Department of Molecular and Life Sciences, Microbiology, Human Nutrition University of Sydney, Australia, Bird Nest contains sialic acid (SA) which is a type of carbohydrate useful for development of the brain cells and synaptic membrane. Hence, it is essential for a healthy growth of a baby. As a result, expectant mothers would ensure that they include food that has high content of SA in their diet.
According to Japanese research, Bird Nest contains among the highest content of sialic acid.
Regular consumption during pregnancy can strengthen the body of the mother and the foetus. As Bird Nests contains with richness protein and it can promote tissue growth, enhance immunity.
6. Anti-aging, improve blood circulation
It helps to rejuvenate body, boosts active lifestyle, enhance memory ability.
7. Promote better blood circulation
Rejuvenate healthy and smooth skin, reduce wrinkles and acne, stabilizes menstrual cycle, helps to elleviate menstrual sickness.
8. Prevent arteries blockages, hypertensions and heart related diseases.
9. Other benefits
Helps to elleviate joints pain and myodesopsia, strengthen the back and nourishes kidney. Relieves fatigue from pressure.
Increases immunity system, prevents fever, flu and cough. Effective in the treatment of Hepatitis-B, cirrhosis of the liver.