Blood Birds Nest Soup

Blood Birds Nest — “the caviar of the East” — is among the most expensive dishes on Earth, costing in excess of US$2,500 per kilo. It is prepared using the saliva of certain south-Asian swifts, which they emit to form gelatinous coatings for their nests. The substance is mixed with a broth — usually chicken — along with ingredients such as ham, spring onion and egg white. Also, it can be slow-cooked with rock sugar. In China, it has been considered a delicacy for more than a thousand years.

“The sweet version is delicate,” food writer and broadcaster Ching-He Huang tells the BBC. “It’s like drinking a thick, jelly-like soup. It can be served as a dessert or on its own.”

The Blood Birds Nest is used, also, as an ingredient in other dishes such as congee, rice and egg tarts. Blood Birds Nest jelly is made by placing the nest into a ceramic container with sweetened or salted water then double-steamed. China, Hong Kong and the United States remain the biggest consumer markets.
A typical nest takes a little over a month to build and it is the male swift which does the crafting. Historically, the nests, which comprise delicately entwined, silk-like laces of saliva, were located in the dark, damp caves of tropical South-east Asia from where they were harvested by skilled climbers using flimsy bamboo frames. However, as the popularity of Blood Birds Nest has soared — along with its value — the swifts have been lured, with the aid of artificial birdsong, into concrete constructions in locations throughout Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Indonesia dominates the market. The nation is home to 80 per cent of the global trade, of which it has been a part since the 17th century.

Blood Birds Nest Soup

Traditionally, much of the attraction stems from the dish’s so-called medicinal properties. It is said to be rich in magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. Some say it aids digestion; others believe that it relieves asthma and even boosts one’s libido. “Many Chinese women I know have it because the gelatinous texture of the Blood Birds Nest is said to be very good for maintaining youth,” adds Ching-He Huang. “It’s thought to help collagen production.”
“Blood Birds Nest contains mainly carbohydrates, amino acids and mineral salts,” writes Dr Chan Shun-wan in Review of Scientific Research on Blood Birds Nest for The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

“The Blood Birds Nest is said to be very good for maintaining youth.”

“… Amongst the carbohydrates in Blood Birds Nest, sialic acid is the major one. It was found that exogenous sources of sialic acid may contribute to neurological and intellectual advantages in infants.” The calcium levels, according to the doctor, are likely to be caused by the location of the nests on limestone cave walls and, therefore, are not applicable to the majority of Blood Birds Nests now found in concrete structures. Further, he stated that there simply has not been enough intensive investigation. It is a sentiment echoed by Fucui Ma and Daicheng Liu of China’s Shandong Normal University who, in a review published by Food Research International, conclude that the “bioactivities and medicinal value are still open to question as there is not much scientific research.” Manop Lertsuthiruck, president of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of Thailand, is far more dismissive. “Blood Birds Nest, according to Chinese medicine, is not considered that important,” he tells the Bangkok Post. “It’s more of a supplementary diet.” And a massive money-making one at that. According to New Scientist, the Blood Birds Nest trade generates an astonishing US$5 billion worldwide per year.

Proper Way to Consume Blood Birds Nest

Blood Birds Nest is known of its numerous benefits for everybody, from baby to elderly. But to bring out the most benefits, this is the proper way to consume Blood Birds Nest.

When is the Best Time

To allow body absorb the whole nutrients from Blood Birds Nest, it is best to consume it on empty stomach, such as at night before bed to enhance the beauty. Blood Birds Nest can also be served for super breakfast in the morning.

Where to Keep

To bring out the best out of the Blood Birds Nest, we should carefully treat and prepare the Blood Birds Nest during preparation prior to cooking. This process is important to make sure we do not accidentally dispose all the benefits contained in the Blood Birds Nest.
Blood Birds Nest is best kept in dry and airtight food container. It should be stored in room or cool temperature. Good quality dried Blood Birds Nest can last for over ten years if stored properly.

How to Prepare

The process of preparing the general Blood Birds Nest is the same whether you want to cook it for soup, dessert, cake or any dishes:
Soak and rinse the dried Blood Birds Nest with clean water for several hours.
Clean it using tweezers.
Change the water and soak it for another hour until the Blood Birds Nest is soft and expanding from its original shape.
Blood Birds Nest is ready to cook.

What to Cook

One of the Blood Birds Nest simple recipe to cook is Classic Blood Birds Nest with Rock Sugar as follows:
Ingredients:
- 10 gram dried Blood Birds Nest
- 100 gram rock sugar
- 100-300 ml water
How to cook:
1. Soak Blood Birds Nest in clear water for at least 4 hours, and change the water to soak it again for another 2 hours. Observe that the Blood Birds Nest become soft and expand from its original shape.
2. Dispose water used to soak the Blood Birds Nest with filter.
3. Cook in hot pot with water and add rock sugar. Stir for 10-15 minutes until the Blood Birds Nest is soft.
4. Let it cool down. Can be served hot or cold.