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Processing
bird’s nests is a long, tedious and labour-intensive process, which can be
simplified into 4 steps:
Step 1: Soak
the raw bird’s nests in plain water until they expand, then separate them into
individual strands.
Step 2: Remove
all the feathers from the edible nest-cement contents with a pair of forceps.
This step is repeated until all the feathers are detached from the entire
nest-cement.
Step 3: The
nest-cement strands are then arranged into a mold.
Step 4:
Finally, put the molded strands under the fans to dry.
Edible bird’s nests are
actually made up of mostly saliva produced by cave-nesting swiftlets. All
swiftlets construct their nests with a glutinous nest-cement produced by a pair
of large, lobed salivary glands under their tongue. It is this nest-cement that
constitutes the raw material of bird’s nest soup and renders the nests of A.
fuciphagus and A. maximus of commercial importance.
Edible bird’s nests are glycoprotein
with properties of protein as well as of carbohydrate. Its composition
resembles that of salivary mucin with a high residue content of 2.5 percent. It
contains 10.3 percent nitrogen and 17.4 percent carbohydrate with traces of
phosphorus, asernate, sulphur and vitamin B1. The energy value per
100g edible portions is 345 kilocalories. The total protein content is about
85 percent with 0.3 percent of fat. Other minerals present are calcium and
iron.
Amino acids isolated from birds` nests consist of amide, humin, arginine, cystine, histidine and lysine. The total content of mono amino acids is about 6 percent. Recent studies in Hong Kong suggested that it might even be useful in the treatment of AIDS. Young Asian ladies are putting bird’s nests on their priority list in their budget to gain fair complexion and maintain youthfulness. Expecting mothers are also consuming bird’s nests for a healthy baby with perfect complexion. Bird's Nests also help to strengthen immune systems and lungs for all age groups.
COMMON AILMENTS & THEIR REMEDIES
To reduce body heat, eradicate coughing & invigorate the body
Cook 3 grams
of bird’s nests with a pear and add rock sugar to taste
To eradicate dizziness, tiredness, weak limbs and joints, insomnia
Add 3 grams of
ginseng to 6 grams of bird’s nests and double boil. Add rock sugar to taste.
To improve eye sights
Cook 6 grams
of bird’s nests with 15 grams of box-horn fruit and add rock sugar to taste.
To strengthen lung and improve general health
Cook 3 grams
of bird’s nests and add rock sugar after it is cooked
Best consumed before sleep to allow the body to absorb its nutritious contents when it is at its most relaxed stage
HOW TO RECOGNIZE FAKED BIRD’S NESTS
Swiftlets
build edible nests from their saliva, which are formed into strands. These
strands can be detached into layers when soaked in plain water. As a result,
these strands will be of different lengths and sizes. Faked strands are too
perfect to even tell a white lie.
Genuine
bird’s nests will not melt in water easily when boiled for over 2 hours.
Take seaweed or flour or any other stand-in in the history of faked bird’s
nests, not only will they melt but evaporate in even less than an hour, not
2 hours?
Genuine
high quality bird’s nests should be able to expand to double its normal
size after being soaked and cooked.
Genuine
bird’s nests contain natural protein that emits a unique aroma of its own
after being cooked unlike the typical aroma from normal food essence.
Faked
red-nests or yellowish-nests have even-shining colour that can be the result
of dye addictives. These dye addictives can easily dissolve when the
bird’s nests are cooked.
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