What is "Swallow's Nest"?

Question

I was watching old episodes of Iron Chef yesterday and I saw a Chinese chef use an ingredient that the commentators called "Swallow's Nest". I have no idea what this is...obviously it's not used in any American dish, but I'd still like to know.

Answer 1

as Bogi's site suggests it may be a real nest BUT

think carefully the Swallow builds a mud nest (???)

At first reading the Question MY reptilian memories flashed a desert basket of caramelized sugar drizzled over a small balloon allowed to cool then popped and trimmed _ - - but I can't remember what goes in the "nest"

do not get old !!!

Answer 2

just what it is, google it. it is supposed to be a delicacy. what's worse is soft roe.

http://www.king-nest.com/front/index.php...

Answer 3

It is a bird's nest. They use it to make soup. This stuff is really super expensive. A lot of people eat this for better skin. Some pregnant women eat this for a healthier baby. I'm not sure if this is true or superstition.

Answer 4

It's an actual swallow's nest...they make bird soup with it.Like many ingredients in Oriental cuisine, swallow's nest is prized more for it's texture and supposed health benefits than for it's flavour. Next to shark's fin, it is one of the most pricey of Chinese ingredients.

I hope this was helpful,Take Care!!! :)

Answer 5

It's basically hardened saliva from a type of bird that nests in caves. Since there are no materials around in the caves to make a nest, the birds use their own  hardened spit to shape a sort of small, bowl-shaped structure stuck to the rock. Asians, especially the Chinese and Thais, climb the rocks to carefully pull away the birds nest and use it in soups, as well as desserts.