Madame Lai

Preparation

How to prepare bird's nest

Slow and simple. About an hour, mostly waiting.

A spoonful of prepared bird's nest lifted from a glass bowl
  1. Bird's nest soaking in a glass bowl

    01Soak

    30–45 min

    Cover the dry nest with room-temperature water until soft and swollen.

  2. Soaked nest drained on a plate

    02Drain

    1 min

    Lift with a fine strainer and let it drain.

  3. Covered bowl in a double-boiler

    03Double-boil

    20–30 min

    In a covered ceramic bowl, steamed over low heat.

  4. A bowl of bird's nest with red dates

    04Finish

    5 min

    Add rock sugar at the end. Serve warm or chilled.

Small things that matter

  • 01About 3 g of dry nest per bowl.
  • 02Add sugar last, so strands stay springy.
  • 03Past 30 minutes, strands begin to melt away.
  • 04Keep cooked nest in a sealed jar in the fridge; finish within 7 days.

Three ways to enjoy it

Bird's nest with rock sugar

01

Bird's nest with rock sugar

The classic. Light and clean.

Serves 1 · 75 min

Ingredients

  • 3 g dry bird's nest
  • 150 ml water
  • 10–15 g rock sugar

Method

  1. Soak the nest 30–45 minutes, then drain.
  2. Place in a ceramic bowl with the water. Cover and double-boil on low heat for 25 minutes.
  3. Add the rock sugar and steam 5 minutes more. Serve warm or chilled.
Red dates and lotus seeds

02

Red dates and lotus seeds

Gently sweet, deeply comforting.

Serves 1 · 85 min

Ingredients

  • 3 g dry bird's nest
  • 4 red dates, pitted
  • 8 dried lotus seeds, soaked
  • 180 ml water
  • 10 g rock sugar

Method

  1. Soak the nest 30–45 minutes, then drain.
  2. Simmer the red dates and lotus seeds in the water for 20 minutes.
  3. Add the nest, cover and double-boil for 20 minutes. Add rock sugar in the last 5 minutes.
Savoury nest in clear broth

03

Savoury nest in clear broth

A warm start to a family dinner.

Serves 1 · 70 min

Ingredients

  • 3 g dry bird's nest
  • 200 ml clear chicken broth
  • A pinch of salt
  • Spring onion or coriander, to finish

Method

  1. Soak the nest 30–45 minutes, then drain.
  2. Warm the broth, pour over the nest in a ceramic bowl.
  3. Cover and double-boil for 20 minutes. Season lightly and garnish.
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