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birds nest soup with sugar

Swallow's Nest Soup With Rock Sugar

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

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces birds nest
7 to 8 tablespoons crushed rock sugar, or to taste
4 cups water

PREPARATION:

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.

Boil the bird's nests twice: Bring a pot of water to boil and simmer the bird's nests for about 5 minutes. Again, rinse well and squeeze dry.

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 (up to 2 hours). 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.

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