Clear Broth Bird's Nest
Clear Broth Bird's Nest is an elegant and refined Chinese soup. Premium white bird's nest is simmered in a meticulously clarified broth, resulting in a crystal-clear soup with delicate, silky strands. With pure flavor and nourishing qualities, it is a timeless delicacy.
Ingredients
10 items- Dried bird's nest 10g
- Old hen 1/2 (about 500g)
- Lean pork 100g
- Jinhua ham 20g
- Chicken breast 100g
- Spring onion 1
- Ginger 3 slices
- Shaoxing wine 1 tbsp (15ml)
- Salt To taste
- Purified water As needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Place dried bird's nest (10g) in a large bowl and add purified water (about 500ml) to fully submerge. Soak at room temperature for 4-6 hours, changing water once if possible. When fully expanded and soft, use tweezers to carefully remove any fine feathers and impurities. Tear the nest into fine strands, rinse under running water, drain and set aside.
Cut old hen (500g) and lean pork (100g) into large chunks. Place in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off foam, and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove and rinse with warm water. Slice Jinhua ham (20g), tie spring onion into a knot, slice ginger (3 slices).
Transfer the blanched chicken, pork, ham, spring onion knot and ginger slices to a large soup pot. Add Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp) and enough water (about 2000ml). Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off foam, then reduce heat to the lowest setting to maintain a gentle simmer (small bubbles). Slowly boil for 2 hours, periodically skimming off fat to keep broth clear.
Mince chicken breast (100g) into a very fine paste, place in a bowl, and add a little water to form a thin slurry. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids, return the broth to a clean pot, and heat over high heat until nearly boiling.
When the broth is about to boil, pour in the chicken slurry while stirring rapidly in one direction with chopsticks to distribute evenly. As it returns to a boil, the chicken will coagulate and float. Reduce heat to low, gently skim off the chicken solids and any remaining foam. The broth will now be crystal clear – this is the traditional 'broth clarifying' technique.
Strain the clarified broth through double-layer cheesecloth for a perfectly clear liquid. Measure about 400ml of the clear broth and pour it into a bowl or clay pot containing the prepared bird's nest. Cover.
Bring water in a steamer to a boil, place the covered bowl in the steamer, and steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Remove, uncover and add salt to taste (about half a teaspoon). Gently stir to combine without breaking the bird's nest strands.
Carefully transfer the bird's nest and broth into pre-warmed serving bowls. Garnish with a few soaked goji berries if desired. Serve immediately while hot to fully appreciate the silky texture and pure taste.
Tips
1. Always soak bird's nest in cold or room temperature water; hot water damages its nutrients and texture. 2. Stir the chicken slurry thoroughly when clarifying to ensure it absorbs all impurities; skim it off carefully. 3. The resulting broth is extremely savoury, so only a pinch of salt is needed. Avoid adding other seasonings.
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