Yes, you can pair edible bird's nest with a warm bowl of black sesame sweet soup. Prepare the nest separately, make a smooth toasted black sesame soup, then fold the tender strands in or spoon them on top. Sweeten it with rock sugar, keep it no-added-sugar with monk fruit, or leave it unsweetened and let the sesame lead.
Key takeaways
- Cook the bird's nest separately, then add it to a finished black sesame soup so the strands stay tender.
- Toasted black sesame gives a smooth, nutty, comforting bowl.
- Sweeten your way: rock sugar, no-added-sugar monk fruit, or nothing at all.
- Serves 2; ready in about an hour, not counting soaking time.
- Enjoy it warm, or chill it for a cold version.
What You'll Need
Serves 2:
- About 1/2 cup (75 g) toasted black sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp (about 20 g) raw rice, soaked, or 1 tbsp rice flour, for body
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- Sweetener to taste: rock sugar, OR monk fruit sweetener, OR none
- 1-2 dry edible bird's nests (about 8-14 g each), prepared
How to Make It
- Prepare the nest. Soak the dry nest in clean water for 4-6 hours or overnight until fully expanded, rinse gently to remove any fine feathers, then double-boil with water for about 40 minutes. Set aside.
- Toast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant.
- Blend the sesame with the soaked rice and some of the water into a smooth slurry.
- Cook the slurry with the remaining water over low heat, stirring, until thick and glossy, about 8-10 minutes.
- Sweeten to taste: dissolve rock sugar while it simmers, OR stir in monk fruit off the heat, OR leave it unsweetened.
- Gently fold in or spoon the prepared bird's nest on top. Serve warm, or chill for a cold version.
Sweeten It Your Way
Rock sugar is the classic choice and dissolves cleanly into the warm soup. For a no-added-sugar bird's nest, use monk fruit — a zero-sugar, zero-calorie sweetener with a glycemic index of zero. It is very sweet, so start with a little and taste as you go; pure monk fruit is often blended with erythritol, so check the label. Or leave it unsweetened and let the sesame's natural nuttiness lead. Prefer something ready to drink? A bottled option is there when you want it.
Tips
- Keep the nest additions gentle so the strands stay intact.
- Store cooked bird's nest refrigerated and use within 3-5 days.
- Dry nest keeps for 2-3 years when kept cool and dry.
FAQ
How much dry nest is one serving?
About one whole dry nest, roughly 8-14 g, makes one generous whole-nest bowl — about 2-4 standard servings of 3-5 g each; use 1-2 nests for two whole-nest bowls.
By Alina @ TLY
