Bird's nest soup
Encyclopedia
Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine
. A few species of swift
, the cave swifts
, are renowned for building the saliva nests
used to produce the unique texture of this soup.
The edible bird's nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The nests have been used in Chinese cooking for over 400 years, most often as bird's nest soup.
or sweet tong sui
. It is mostly referred to as "yin wo" unless references are made to the salty or sweet soup in Chinese cuisine
.
or White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and the Black-nest Swiftlet
(Aerodramus maximus). The white nests and the red nests are supposedly rich in nutrients, which are traditionally believed to provide health benefits, such as aiding digestion, raising libido
, improving the voice, alleviating asthma
, improving focus, and an overall benefit to the immune system
.
Most nests are built during the breeding season by the male swiftlet over a period of 35 days. They take the shape of a shallow cup stuck to the cave wall. The nests are composed of interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement. Both nests have high levels of calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Hong Kong
and the United States
are the largest importers of these nests. In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird's nest soup would cost $30 USD to $100 USD. A kilogram of white nest can cost up to $2,000 USD, and a kilogram of red nests can cost up to $10,000 USD. The white nests are commonly treated with a red pigment, but methods have been developed to determine an adulterated nest. Natural red cave nests are often only found in limestone caves in bird nest concession island in Thailand.
The nests were formerly harvested from caves, principally the enormous limestone
caves at Gomantong and Niah
in Borneo
. With the escalation in demand these sources have been supplanted since the late 1990s by purpose-built nesting houses, usually reinforced concrete
structures following the design of the SE Asian shop-house ("ruko"). These nesting houses are normally found in urban areas near the sea, since the birds have a propensity to flock in such places. This has become an extraordinary industry, mainly based on a series of towns in the Indonesian Province of North Sumatra
, which have been completely transformed by the activity. From there the nests are mostly exported to Hong Kong, which has become the centre of the world trade, though most of the final consumers are from mainland China. It has been estimated that the products now account for 0.5% of the Indonesian GDP, equivalent to about a quarter of the country's fishing industry.
In a sadly ironic twist, this potentially environmentally sustainable industry is contributing to deforestation in Indonesia, notably in the Gunung Palung National Park
, West Kalimantan (mid-2011). The swiftlet barns in this area are built from copious quantities of timber (particularly belian
and meranti
), and legal timber supplies are inadequate to meet demand, which is instead being met by increasing levels of illegal logging in the National Park.
, one of the protagonist's "tall tales" about the countries she has visited is that in China, people eat birds' nests. Even though it is true, this is one of the few stories she claims is made-up.
One episode of Sagwa has Tai Tai banishing a number of creatures, one being some swiftlets, preventing bird's nest soup from being properly made.
Writer Amitav Ghosh
has written about the birds nest in his 2011 novel River of Smoke
.
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
. A few species of swift
Swiftlet
Swiftlets are birds contained within the four genera Aerodramus, Hydrochous, Schoutedenapus and Collocalia. They form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confined to southern Asia, south Pacific islands, and northeastern...
, the cave swifts
Swiftlet
Swiftlets are birds contained within the four genera Aerodramus, Hydrochous, Schoutedenapus and Collocalia. They form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confined to southern Asia, south Pacific islands, and northeastern...
, are renowned for building the saliva nests
Edible-nest Swiftlet
The Edible-nest Swiftlet is a small bird of the swift family which is found in South-east Asia. Its nest is made of solidified saliva and is used to make bird's nest soup.-Description:...
used to produce the unique texture of this soup.
The edible bird's nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The nests have been used in Chinese cooking for over 400 years, most often as bird's nest soup.
Name
The Chinese name for bird's nest soup, yàn wō (燕窝), translates literally as "swallow's nest". When dissolved in water, the birds' nests have a gelatinous texture used for soupAsian soup
Asian soups are soups traditionally prepared and consumed in the cultures of East Asia. Such soups are usually based solely on broths and lacking in dairy products such as milk or cream. Thickening for the soups usually consists of refined starches from corn or sweet potatoes.Asian soups are...
or sweet tong sui
Tong Sui
Tong sui, also known as tim tong, is a collective term for any sweet, warm soup or custard served as a dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese cuisine. Tong sui are a Cantonese specialty and are rarely found in other regional cuisines of China...
. It is mostly referred to as "yin wo" unless references are made to the salty or sweet soup in Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
.
Harvesting
The most heavily harvested nests are from the Edible-nest SwiftletEdible-nest Swiftlet
The Edible-nest Swiftlet is a small bird of the swift family which is found in South-east Asia. Its nest is made of solidified saliva and is used to make bird's nest soup.-Description:...
or White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and the Black-nest Swiftlet
Black-nest Swiftlet
The Black-nest Swiftlet is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam....
(Aerodramus maximus). The white nests and the red nests are supposedly rich in nutrients, which are traditionally believed to provide health benefits, such as aiding digestion, raising libido
Libido
Libido refers to a person's sex drive or desire for sexual activity. The desire for sex is an aspect of a person's sexuality, but varies enormously from one person to another, and it also varies depending on circumstances at a particular time. A person who has extremely frequent or a suddenly...
, improving the voice, alleviating asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, improving focus, and an overall benefit to the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
.
Most nests are built during the breeding season by the male swiftlet over a period of 35 days. They take the shape of a shallow cup stuck to the cave wall. The nests are composed of interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement. Both nests have high levels of calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
are the largest importers of these nests. In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird's nest soup would cost $30 USD to $100 USD. A kilogram of white nest can cost up to $2,000 USD, and a kilogram of red nests can cost up to $10,000 USD. The white nests are commonly treated with a red pigment, but methods have been developed to determine an adulterated nest. Natural red cave nests are often only found in limestone caves in bird nest concession island in Thailand.
The nests were formerly harvested from caves, principally the enormous limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
caves at Gomantong and Niah
Niah Caves
Niah Caves is located within the district of Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia. Part of Niah National Park, the main cave, Niah Great Cave, is located in Gunung Subis and is made up of several voluminous, high-ceilinged chambers...
in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. With the escalation in demand these sources have been supplanted since the late 1990s by purpose-built nesting houses, usually reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
structures following the design of the SE Asian shop-house ("ruko"). These nesting houses are normally found in urban areas near the sea, since the birds have a propensity to flock in such places. This has become an extraordinary industry, mainly based on a series of towns in the Indonesian Province of North Sumatra
North Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
, which have been completely transformed by the activity. From there the nests are mostly exported to Hong Kong, which has become the centre of the world trade, though most of the final consumers are from mainland China. It has been estimated that the products now account for 0.5% of the Indonesian GDP, equivalent to about a quarter of the country's fishing industry.
In a sadly ironic twist, this potentially environmentally sustainable industry is contributing to deforestation in Indonesia, notably in the Gunung Palung National Park
Gunung Palung National Park
Gunung Palung National Park lies on the island of Borneo, in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, north of Ketapang and east of Sukadana.- Geography:...
, West Kalimantan (mid-2011). The swiftlet barns in this area are built from copious quantities of timber (particularly belian
Eusideroxylon zwageri
Eusideroxylon zwageri, the Ulin, is native to the Malesia region. It is one of the four species of the genus Eusideroxylon. It is known colloquially in English as Borneo ironwood and occasionally bilian ironwood or bilian...
and meranti
Shorea
Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the Governor-General of the British East India Company, 1793-1798. They are native to southeast Asia, from Northern India to Malaysia, Indonesia and the...
), and legal timber supplies are inadequate to meet demand, which is instead being met by increasing levels of illegal logging in the National Park.
In popular culture
In the children's book Pippi LongstockingPippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking is a fictional character in a series of children's books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, and adapted into multiple films and television series...
, one of the protagonist's "tall tales" about the countries she has visited is that in China, people eat birds' nests. Even though it is true, this is one of the few stories she claims is made-up.
One episode of Sagwa has Tai Tai banishing a number of creatures, one being some swiftlets, preventing bird's nest soup from being properly made.
Writer Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh , is a Bengali Indian author best known for his work in the English language.-Life:Ghosh was born in Calcutta on July 11, 1956, to Lieutenant Colonel Shailendra Chandra Ghosh, a retired officer of the pre-independence Indian Army, and was educated at The Doon School; St...
has written about the birds nest in his 2011 novel River of Smoke
River of Smoke
River of Smoke is a novel by Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh. It is the second volume of what will be the Ibis trilogy.-Synopsis:The promotional text refers to the storyline which can be summarized as follows: After the incidents on Ibis, which was caught in a storm and eventually ended up in...
.