BIRDSNEST ICE CREAM

YING nourishing -- Lung, kidney, stomach, blood and skin elasticity
Product Source: specialty TCM stores, reliable sources i.e. EYS Singapore

RECIPE AND GUIDANCE (4 People)

INGREDIENTS

*Quality birdsnest - a product of the Swallow - because of it’s expensive value is often sold as imitation or falsely advertised as a superiority product. It is recommended to purchase this delicacy from established sources only. Authentic birdsnest will have a smell of egg and plank wood and is never “bleached” or cleaned with modern chemicals…

If you have an Ice-cream maker: blend all ingredients in a Cuisinar and add to the machine. Or blend the birdsnest (with the juice it is preserved in) with all ingredients except the heavy cream. Add the cream lastly, carefully blend it into the mixture and set the batter into the freezer.

HISTORY AND BENEFIT

Swiftlet nests were first traded in China during the T’ang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Sometime between the years 1368 and 1644, Admiral Cheng He introduced foreign nests to the imperial court of the Ming Dynasty. Edible bird’s nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The nests are made by a relatively small number of species of swift, namely cave swifts, that have a unique chemical texture to the saliva they use to make their nests. According to a recentmedical research reported by Hong Kong Chinese University, the cell division enzyme and hormone of bird’s nest can promote reproduction and regeneration of human cells. It also helps promote one’s immune system and enhances body metabolism.
Swiftlets (collocaliini) are tiny insectivorous birds that are distributed from the Indian Ocean, through Southeast Asia. Only the nests of four species mostly spread throughout Southeast Asian region have commercial value because of human consumption. They are Collocalia fuciphaga, Collocalia germanis, Collocalia maxima and Collocalia unicolor. Each of these species produces nests with salivary glue, a cementing substance, although other materials such as vegetation or feathers may also be utilized. It takes the bird about 20-35 days to finish the nest. The edible bird's nests made up of pure salivary glue are much more expensive than those incorporating other materials. The white nests and the "red blood" 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. Throughout Chinese medicine, bird's nest is definitely believed in order to present excellent effect regarding treating tuberculosis, dry coughs, asthma and bronchitis. It nourishes particular kidney, lung, heart as well as stomach.