Bird’s Nest Soup

Also known as Bird’s Nest Soup, this sweet dessert soup is made from the nests of the swiftlet, a type of swallow.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 ounces bird’s nests (approximately 6 whole nests)
7 tablespoons crushed rock sugar, or to taste
4 cups water

Directions: Prepare the bird’s nest: soak it in cold water for several hours or overnight. Rinse well. Go over the nests and pick out any loose feathers. Bring a pot of water to boil and simmer the bird’s nests for about 5 minutes. Again, rinse well and squeeze dry. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups at this point. If not, adjust the amount of water and rock sugar accordingly).

Place the bird’s nests in the pot and add the water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the bird’s nests are quite soft. Add the rock sugar, stirring to dissolve. Serve the soup hot.

Note: You’ll want to save this for a special occasion. Authentic bird’s nests are quite expensive, not surprising given that the nests come from the hardened saliva of the swiftlet swallow. It could be a good choice for a romantic evening, as bird’s nest is rumored to be an aphrodisiac.