Red bird's nest has always been the most valuable kind of bird's nest because it is so precious and so rare on the market. So it is no surprise that it carries the highest price of the 3 types of bird's nest. To avoid losing the precious nutrients in red bird's nest, you need to know how to prepare it.
Preparing red bird's nest properly
Red bird's nest can be prepared into many different nourishing dishes, such as red bird's nest steamed with rock sugar and red bird's nest dessert... To prepare red bird's nest properly, please keep the following points in mind:
– Choosing red bird's nest: To be safe when using it, choosing good-quality red bird's nest is very important. Look for reputable bird's nest suppliers to buy from.
– Pre-processing red bird's nest: You can buy raw red bird's nest, take it home, remove the feathers and then prepare it. If you do not have time, you can buy red bird's nest that has already had its feathers removed.
– Preparing red bird's nest: To prepare red bird's nest properly, do not cook it too long, or the nest will turn mushy and lose its nutrients. And whichever dish you make with red bird's nest, you should steam the nest separately and only then add it to the dish, so that the nest's natural nutrients are not lost.
What is red bird's nest?
It is priced higher than white bird's nest and Pink Nest. So what makes the nutritional value of red bird's nest stand out?
According to some studies, besides the nutrients found in ordinary bird's nest, red bird's nest also contains additional trace minerals and amino acids that are good for health. The red colour of red bird's nest, as well as its outstanding nourishing quality, is explained by a chemical fermentation process between the swiftlets' saliva and the minerals on the cave walls.
Red bird's nest costs more because it is very rare, and harvesting it is very difficult and dangerous. Red bird's nest makes up less than 10% of the bird's nest harvested each year.
How to tell genuine red bird's nest from counterfeit
Genuine red bird's nest smells of sea salt. When a little is dipped into tea, counterfeit red bird's nest dyed with iron oxide reacts chemically and turns dark black. When soaked in water, counterfeit nest dyed with food colouring loses its colour and dissolves in the water, while genuine bird's nest keeps its colour even after being cooked.
A nourishing red bird's nest dessert suggestion
– Ingredients:
20-30g red bird's nest (refined), 50g lotus seeds, 50g ginkgo nuts, 100g water chestnuts, 250-300g rock sugar, about 1.2 litres of water.
– Method:
Step 1: Soak the red bird's nest in ginger-scented water, pick out all impurities and let it drain. Then steam it by double-boiling.
Step 2: Peel the lotus seeds and remove the cores, then steam until soft but still whole.
Step 3: Shell the ginkgo nuts, take out the kernels and boil until cooked.
Step 4: Peel the water chestnuts, dice them and blanch briefly in boiling water.
Step 5: Heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the ingredients above and simmer gently for about 10 – 15 minutes so they absorb the sugar and soften. Add the red bird's nest last and cook for another 10 minutes over low heat so the nest absorbs the sugar.
Step 6: Ladle the bird's nest dessert into a porcelain bowl. The dessert should have a clear broth with the distinctive aroma of its ingredients and a light sweetness, with all the ingredients cooked through, intact and well infused with sugar, truly delicious and nourishing.
Yến Sào Sài Gòn wishes you success!