• How to Make Birds Nest Chinese Herbal Drink (燕窩) ♥ 3 ways!
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Swallow Birds Nest is a Chinese delicacy that has been around for hundreds of years.  Also know in Mandarin as 燕窩(Yàn wō), the nests itself are made from the saliva of swallow birds and are considered rare and expensive in Traditional Chinese Medicine due to the high level of nutrients contained within the nests.
When cooked, Birds Nest becomes gelatinous and is slightly chewy.  Because it is unflavored, it is recommended to cook the birds nest with other herbs and ingredients to enhance the dish and let the flavors absorb.  In this recipe, I'll show you how to make Birds Nest drinks in 3 different flavors.  
  • Goji Berries & Dates
  • Ginseng and Chrysanthemum Flowers
  • Asian Pear & Coconut Milk ​​
Sponsored Post:  This recipe video was sponsored by Golden Nest (金燕窩).  I enjoyed using their Simply Swift Swallow Nest product to make these delicious herbal drinks!

Ingredients:

Birds Nest w/ Goji Berries & Dates
  • 1 pc. Simply Swift Birds Nest
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • 2-3 pieces of dried red dates (jujube)
  • 6 pieces of dried goji berries (lycium barrarum)
    Rock sugar to taste  - suggested ½ Tbsp to start

Birds Nest w/ Ginseng & Chrysanthemum Flowers
Birds Nest w/ Asian Pear & Coconut Milk
  • 1 pc. Simply Swift Birds Nest
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • ½ small sized Asian Pear 
  • Rock sugar to taste  - suggested ½ Tbsp to start
  • Coconut Milk 

Ready in Total Time:  20 min.

Cook/Prep Time =  20 mins.

Preparation:
For the full preparation method and instructions, watch the YouTube video tutorial here. 
Swallow Birds Nest with Dates & Goji Berries
  1. Pre-soak the dried red dates in water for about an hour or until soft.  Slice the dates in half.
  2. Bring 2 cups of filtered water to a boil.
  3. Add 1 piece of Simply Swift Instant Swallow Bird Nest, dried red dates, dried goji berries, and boil on medium heat for 15 minutes (covered).
  4. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, add rock sugar to taste and gently stir to dissolve.
  5. Pour into glass containers and let cool before refrigerating.
  6. Serve chilled.
Swallow Birds Nest with Ginseng & Chrysanthemum Flowers
  1. Bring 2 cups of filtered water to a boil.
  2. Add 1 piece of Simply Swift Instant Swallow Bird Nest and boil on medium heat for 15 minutes (covered).
  3. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, add the Ginseng root and Chrysanthemum flowers.
  4. Let the pot sit covered for 15 minutes (similar to steeping tea).
  5. After 15 minutes, pour into glass containers and let cool before refrigerating.
  6. Optional if you would like to remove the flowers and Ginseng root before serving.  Serve chilled.
Swallow Birds Nest with Poached Asian Pear & Coconut Milk
  1. Peel the skin off a small sized Asian Pear.  Cut 1/4 into small bite sized pieces (these pieces will go into the glass jars).  Cut the other 1/4 of the pear to use for infusing the liquid with flavors.
  2. Bring 2 cups of filtered water to a boil.
  3. Add 1 piece of Simply Swift Instant Swallow Bird Nest and the larger pear pieces and boil on medium heat for 15 minutes (covered).
  4. Halfway through the cook time, add the smaller pear pieces.
  5. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, add rock sugar to taste, and gently stir to dissolve.
  6. Remove the larger 1/4 piece(s) of the pear, leaving the smaller bite sized pieces to go into the glass containers.
  7. Pour into glass containers and let cool before refrigerating.
  8. Serve chilled adding coconut milk to taste.  

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