Bird’s Nest Soup – Asian Food Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1-3/4 ounces cleaned bird’s nest (see note below)

2 cups water

2 slices fresh ginger, each the size of a 25-cent piece

4 cups Chinese chicken Soup Stock (see recipe below)

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

salt

2 eggs, beaten

ham, cut julienne, very fine, for garnish

Soak the bird’s nest overnight in fresh water. Using a fine mesh

strainer drain and rinse the nest. Place in a saucepan and add 2

cups of water and the ginger slices. Simmer for 5 minutes and

drain in the strainer, discarding the ginger. Pick out any impurities

and add to the soup stock and simmer for 1/2 hour.

Stir in the cornstarch mixed with water and cook to thicken. Add

salt to taste and pour the beaten eggs in a thin stream over the

top of the soup. Count to ten and gently stir the eggs into the

soup. The shredded-ham garnish will go nicely on the top of this

very delicately flavored soup.

A good Chinese market should have nests available (or perhaps they

will order for you), but they are very expensive. The cost for

enough nest to make two batches of this soup will be somewhere

between $30 and $40.

Chinese Chicken Soup Stock

5 pounds chicken backs and necks

2 slices fresh ginger, each the size of a 25-cent piece

2 Chinese dried turnip balls (preserved turnip or preserved radish)

coarsely chopped and

rinsed with fresh water

Place the bones in a 12-quart stockpot and cover with water. On

high heat bring the bones barely to a simmer. We do not want to

cook the soup yet so do not let it do more than just simmer. Foam

and scum will form on the top of the pot. You do not want this to

boil. Drain the bones, discarding the water, and rinse well with

cold water. Add 1 quart of fresh water for each pound of bones,

along with the ginger and rinsed dried turnip. Bring to a simmer

and cook 1 hour, uncovered.

Strain the soup stock and discard the solids. Remove the fat by

using a plastic tube or simply chill the stock overnight and remove

the fat when it has congealed.

Category: Asian Recipes