What is the swelling rate of bird's nest

The swelling rate is also called the swelling head, which refers to the difference in weight between ingredients such as bird's nest and sea cucumber and dry goods after they have been fully soaked and then drained. The greater the difference, the higher the swelling rate. When we usually eat bird's nests, we use water as a trigger solvent to soak the dry ingredients until they are soft and tender, and then cook them. There are many ways to soak them, and cold water, hot water or warm water can all be used.

How to soak bird's nest

To make the bird's nest expand, water is used as the expansion solvent. The dry ingredients are soaked until they are swollen, soft and tender before being used for formal cooking. After the dry ingredients reabsorb moisture, they can restore their original freshness and softness to the greatest extent. Water hair can be divided into the following types according to water temperature:

1. Cold water hair

Take an appropriate amount of pure water at room temperature, put the bird's nest into the water, add an appropriate amount of ice cubes, cover and place in the refrigerator (less odor). The soaking time for white bird's nest is 8-10 hours, and for blood bird's nest is 10-12 hours. We recommend this method as it retains the most nutrients. The ratio of bird's nest to water is 1:30.

2. Warm water hair

The water is normal temperature in summer and warm water in winter. Put the whole bird's nest into an appropriate amount of 40-50 degree warm water and cover it to soak. The soaking time for white bird's nest is 3-5 hours, and for blood bird's nest is 6-8 hours. During the soaking period, change the warm water 2-3 times to ensure that the soaking temperature is kept at 40-50 degrees throughout the process. The ratio of bird's nest to water is 1:30. If it is not yet soft, you can change to boiling water and simmer for another 30 minutes. Because there is a simmering process in the cooking process, it cannot be fully soaked to prevent it from being over-simmered and rotten, losing its strip shape and soft taste. When it is suitable, take it out and soak it in cold water for later use. Before use, blanch in boiling water for about 2 minutes before cooking. This method is suitable for soups and stews.

3. Hot water

This method is recommended for emergency use. Put the whole bird's nest into an appropriate amount of 60-80 degree hot water, cover it and soak it until the bird's nest is completely soaked. Generally, the soaking time for white bird's nest is 0.5-1 hour, and for blood bird's nest is 1-2 hours. The ratio of bird's nest to water is 1:40.

4. Boil water

By increasing the temperature, the penetration rate of water molecules is increased, which causes the dry bird's nest material to fully expand, thereby achieving an effect that is difficult to achieve by swelling it with water at room temperature. This is the fastest method, but it also results in the greatest loss of nutrients. Take an appropriate amount of boiling water, put the dry bird's nest into the boiling water, cover it and soak it in the water until the bird's nest is completely soaked. When the bird's nest is less than 40 grams, the ratio of bird's nest to water is 1:40.

When soaking bird's nests, the water temperature and soaking time should be adjusted appropriately according to the season and the tenderness of the bird's nests. They should be checked and adjusted regularly to prevent the nests from not being soaked thoroughly and leaving a hard core, or being over-swelled and causing them to melt. Soak the expanded bird's nest in cold water for later use, but it should not be stored for a long time and must be used as soon as possible. The water and tools used to expand the bird's nest must be clean and free from oil stains, otherwise the quality of the expansion will be affected.

5. Evaporation

First soak the bird's nest in 50℃ water, and when the water cools down, change to 70℃ water and soak it. Take it out after it expands, protect it and do not break it. Rinse it twice in different water, blanch it in 80℃ water, wash and put it in a bowl, steam it on low heat until it is loose and soft.

6. Alkali hair (old hair method, not recommended)

Soak the bird's nest in warm water, rinse it two or three times with clean water (be careful to keep the shape neat), and then soak it in cold water; pour out the water before use, mix the bird's nest with alkaline flour, usually 1.5 grams of alkaline flour is used for 50 grams of bird's nest (if the bird's nest is older, 2.5 grams can be used), add boiling water to lift it; when the bird's nest swells, pour out half of the alkaline water, and then lift it with boiling water three or four times, until it expands to 3 times the original size, feels soft and astringent when rubbed, and breaks when pinched; then rinse to remove the alkaline flour, soak it in cold water for later use. Just absorb the moisture with a dry cloth before cooking.