Edible bird's nest and coconut water make one of the easiest cold drinks of the summer. You gently cook the soaked nest, chill it, and stir it into fresh young coconut water over ice. Coconut water is naturally sweet, so you need little or no rock sugar. Here is the simple method, with Ten Lei Yen's soak-and-cook timings.
- Soak one dried nest (about 8-14 g) for 4-6 hours or overnight, then double-boil for 40 minutes.
- Coconut water is naturally sweet - add rock sugar only in the last 10 minutes if you want it sweeter, or skip it.
- Serve the cooked nest chilled in fresh young coconut water over ice, with a squeeze of lime.
- One dried nest makes about 1-2 servings.
- This is a light, fruity cooler - no ginger and no ginseng needed.
What you'll need
- 1 dried edible bird's nest (about 8-14 g)
- 1 fresh young coconut, or about 240-300 ml chilled coconut water
- Ice
- Optional: 1-2 teaspoons rock sugar
- Optional: a squeeze of lime, or a little pandan or mint
How to make it
- Soak. Place the dried nest in a bowl of room-temperature water and soak 4-6 hours or overnight, until it opens into soft strands. Drain and rinse gently.
- Double-boil. Put the drained nest in a heatproof bowl with fresh water, cover, and steam it in a covered pot or double boiler over gently simmering water for about 40 minutes, until tender and translucent. If you want it sweeter, add the rock sugar in the last 10 minutes.
- Chill. Let the cooked nest cool, then refrigerate until cold.
- Assemble. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in cold coconut water, and spoon in the chilled bird's nest strands. Add a squeeze of lime if you like, and serve right away.
For step-by-step prep, see our guide on how to soak and clean edible bird's nest.
Tips
- Fresh young coconut water has the cleanest, sweetest taste - keep everything well chilled.
- Cook the nest ahead and refrigerate it for 2-3 days so a cold glass is only a minute away.
- Start with the nest and coconut water gently sweet; you can always add a little rock sugar syrup, but you cannot take it out.
- Prefer a ready-made option? Browse our bird's nest drink collection, or start from whole nest in Blue Label and Specialty Nest.
Want more cold ideas? Try our honeydew bird's nest or read how to serve bird's nest in summer.
FAQ
Can I use bottled coconut water?
Yes. Fresh young coconut water tastes best, but chilled bottled coconut water works. Choose an unsweetened one so you can control the sweetness.
Do I need to add sugar?
Usually no. Coconut water is naturally sweet, so many people skip the rock sugar. Add 1-2 teaspoons in the last 10 minutes of cooking only if you want it sweeter.
How much bird's nest goes in one glass?
One dried nest of about 8-14 g yields roughly 1-2 servings once cooked, so half to a whole nest per tall glass is plenty.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cook and chill the nest, keep it covered in the fridge for 2-3 days, and stir it into fresh coconut water over ice when you are ready to serve.
