Making rock sugar steamed bird's nest is not difficult, but to enjoy a bowl of quality bird's nest with full flavour and nutritional value, you need to choose carefully and correctly at every stage, from selecting the ingredients to pre-processing and steaming. Let Yến Sào Sài Gòn share the tips for making premium rock sugar steamed bird's nest.
Ingredients:
- Bird's nest
- Rock sugar
- Purified water
Notes on choosing ingredients
Some notes on choosing ingredients:
Choose quality bird's nest
This is the most important criterion when making rock sugar steamed bird's nest. The bird's nest must be genuine and of good quality to ensure its nutritional value. Do not choose crumbled bird's nest or low-quality nest of unknown origin.
There are 2 types you can choose from:
Option 1: Buy raw bird's nest with feathers: when you buy raw bird's nest with feathers, you will need to pre-process it and pick out all the feathers, following these steps:
- Step 1: Soften the bird's nest. Soak the bird's nest in clean water in a basin for about 1-2 hours, depending on how thick or thin it is, until it loosens.
- Step 2: Pick out the feathers mixed in the bird's nest. ...
- Step 3: Remove any remaining impurities from the bird's nest. ...
- Step 4: Go over the bird's nest carefully one last time. ...
- Step 5: Finish cleaning the bird's nest.
Option 2: Buy refined bird's nest that has already had its feathers removed: this saves you time and effort. Just buy it and steam it following the steps below.
However, whichever type of bird's nest you buy, make sure you choose a reputable supplier to guarantee its quality, and above all avoid bird's nest that is crumbled, mixed with impurities, or treated with a lot of preservatives and bleaching agents to make it look attractive. When choosing bird's nest, do not pick nest that is too pure white, as it may have been bleached; genuine bird's nest is normally ivory white.
In addition, genuine bird's nest has a slightly briny smell of sea water. The nest is whitish-yellow or orange-yellow and does not lose colour when soaked in water. For whole nests, strands that criss-cross like a loofah sponge are of the best standard. Some sellers mix in sugar to increase the weight, or even deliberately soak the nest in sugar, so please keep this in mind.
You can browse the products at Yến Sào Sài Gòn. At Yến Sào Sài Gòn, you can buy raw bird's nest with feathers, or refined / special refined bird's nest that has been feather-picked and dried, and use it with complete confidence in the genuine value of the product. With the reputation of a brand with more than 13 years in the bird's nest market, Yến Sào Sài Gòn guarantees a reliable supply of bird's nest, carefully selected from natural cave swiftlet nests or reputable swiftlet farms.
Choose rock sugar
Although bird's nest is the main ingredient, do not overlook the choice of rock sugar. Poor-quality rock sugar will spoil the perfection of your steamed bird's nest. Handmade rock sugar is crystallised around a piece of thread, so the crystals are uneven in shape and join together like beautiful blocks of quartz. In addition, natural handmade rock sugar usually has a gentle sweetness rather than a harsh one.
How to prepare
- Step 1: Soak the bird's nest in clean water for 40-60 minutes
- Step 2: Gently pull the nest apart by hand, following the direction of the strands
- Step 3: Pour away the soaking water and use a strainer to hold the bird's nest
- Step 4: Put the clean bird's nest in a bowl and add 450ml of purified water, ready for double-boiling.
- Step 5: Place the bowl of bird's nest in the steamer for 25 – 40 minutes
- Step 6: Add rock sugar to taste to the porcelain bowl while the nest is steaming, stir well, leave for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Some notes when making rock sugar steamed bird's nest
- Soak the bird's nest in clean water before cooking so that it loosens into separate strands
- Add enough water to cover the bird's nest, allowing for the nest to expand; do not cook it too thick. But do not fill more than 80% of the pot either, because when the nest expands the liquid may spill out.
- Because bird's nest is mainly protein and organic matter, steaming at too high a temperature or raising the heat too quickly will break down the protein in the nest. 80% is the suitable heat for steaming bird's nest.
- Depending on the type of bird's nest, you can adjust the temperature and time accordingly. Usually, Pink Nest is soaked and steamed for longer than white nest.
- Add the sugar only once the bird's nest is cooked; after adding the sugar, stir well and turn off the heat.
How long can rock sugar steamed bird's nest be kept?
Rock sugar steamed bird's nest can be kept for about 10 days in the refrigerator's cool compartment. After steaming, you can divide it into small glass jars, close the lids tightly and put them in the refrigerator to enjoy gradually.
This is the detailed method for making rock sugar steamed bird's nest, a handy guide for the kitchen when preparing a nourishing bird's nest dish for the whole family.
If you are busy and do not have much time, you can buy rock sugar steamed bird's nest products at Yến Sào Sài Gòn. Carefully selected from premium natural cave swiftlet nests and reputable swiftlet farms, feathers and impurities removed by hand, and steamed in a modern closed-loop process, our rock sugar steamed bird's nest fully preserves the nutritional value of the bird's nest and is a perfect choice for the health of you and your loved ones.
With an elegant look and refined packaging, the ready-to-drink bird's nest range at Yến Sào Sài Gòn is an ideal choice for gifts. Visit a Yến Sào Sài Gòn showroom to choose premium products, or order online and have them delivered quickly to your home, and enjoy a series of combo offers from Yến Sào Sài Gòn.
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