Until now, you have used bird's nest in cooking to take care of the health of yourself and your family, because you have heard many people say this dish brings many health benefits. So today, let's learn more about this nutritious food together with Yến Sào Sài Gòn!
How nourishing is bird's nest?
Depending on their characteristics and size, bird's nests are divided into three types: the rarest is red bird's nest (red or reddish nests, expensive because they are rare). Next is "quan" nest (the best type of nest, large and white, each nest weighing 10 – 12g). Second is "thien" nest (smaller nests, pale green or pale yellow). Third is "dia" nest (small, poor-looking nests, grey or pale green).
According to traditional Eastern medicine, bird's nest has a sweet taste and a neutral nature, acting on the lung and stomach meridians. It nourishes yin, tonifies the lungs, dissolves phlegm, and relieves coughing and wheezing. It is used for coughs, asthma, coughing blood and exhaustion. In addition, bird's nest is also stewed with Chinese red dates, lotus seeds, Chinese yam, ginseng, angelica, goji berries… as a nourishing tonic for the frail elderly. The dose is 6 – 12g/day. To use it as medicine or in dishes, people soak the nest in warm water for two hours to expand, pick out any impurities and feathers, then rinse clean and drain. Then double-boil it and serve it with dishes such as black-boned chicken stewed with herbal medicine or pigeon porridge... It can also be steamed with rock sugar to eat.
Bird's nest is very rich in minerals, including trace minerals. Its protein content is also very high.
A more detailed study of the protein composition shows that bird's nest contains no protein or alginic acid from seaweed. This proves that bird's nest is made from swiftlet saliva, not seaweed. Bird's nest also contains no red blood cells or heme from blood, but contains a lot of iron. Red bird's nest is therefore not caused by swiftlet blood, but by the iron in the red-coloured rock on the mountainside. A deeper study of the carbohydrate component shows that it contains a lot of galactose in mucoprotein and no fermentable sugars, showing that the nest is made entirely of bird saliva. Bird's nest contains no fat.
Popular types of bird's nest today
Pink Nest
Pink Nest does not have red strands like red bird's nest but has an orange-brown colour (pink, or light pink, as recorded in many sources). Pink Nest is harvested only in the wild, made by island swiftlets.
The colour of Pink Nest also comes from minerals in the caves and cliffs where swiftlets nest. In terms of nutritional value, Pink Nest is not very different from swiftlet-house bird's nest, but it still costs more because it is believed to be more nourishing and harder to harvest.
Red bird's nest:
Its shape and appearance are like white bird's nest, with just some fibres in a reddish-brown blood colour. This type is very precious, rare and the most expensive, because it is hard to harvest and very rarely found.
White bird's nest
White bird's nest has ivory-white strands, and is the most common type of bird's nest with the most reasonable price today.
White bird's nest is produced by swiftlets raised in houses. It is fragrant, crunchy and chewy, contains many special nutrients and is hygienic, avoiding many risks of contagious diseases, and insects and termites have no chance to harm the quality of the nest.
Suggestions for tasty dishes made from bird's nest
Bird's nest steamed with rock sugar
Bird's nest (swiftlet nest) 3 grams. Rock sugar 30 grams. Put the bird's nest into a bowl, pour in warm water and soak until it expands and softens, use tweezers to remove all the swiftlet feathers, then lift out, rinse clean, drain, and tear into strands.
Pour 250ml of water into a pot, add the rock sugar and heat over low heat. When the sugar has completely dissolved, add the bird's nest and heat until it boils again. It can be eaten hot or cold as you like.
Bird's nest dessert
About 2-3g of bird's nest, 100g of fresh lotus seeds, 100g of mung beans, rock sugar, fresh ginger, and enough water. Peel off the hard shell and the skin of the fresh lotus seeds, use a toothpick to push out the lotus core, and put each seed into a basin of clean water as soon as it is done.
Cook the lotus seeds and mung beans until soft. Then add the cleaned bird's nest together with rock sugar and ginger, and cook for 15 more minutes after it boils. Ladle the dessert into bowls and let it cool. Eat before going to bed.
Bird's nest soup
1kg of chicken or pork bones, 100g of onion, 200g of lean chicken (boneless), bird's nest, and a little spring onion and chives. Simmer the bones in 3 litres of water, then add seasoning and keep the broth hot on the stove.
Steam the chicken until cooked and shred it finely. Put the prepared bird's nest into a bowl and steam for 10-15 minutes, then take it out. Add about 2 spoonfuls of shredded chicken, pour in hot broth, sprinkle a little chopped spring onion and chives, and serve hot.
Yến Sào Sài Gòn wishes you success!