Sending bird's nest is a science. The variety of bird's nest, chef, seasonal humidity, room temperature and water temperature, and even the difference between morning and evening, the soaked bird's nest will be very different. Here are some delivery methods:

First, alkaline hair (old hair, not recommended). Soak the bird's nest in hot water, rinse it with clear water for two or three times (pay attention to keep the shape neat), and then soak it in cold water; Pour off the water before use, and mix the bird's nest with the alkaline noodles. Generally, 50g of bird's nest is made of alkaline flour1.5g (if the bird's nest is old, 2.5g can be used), and boiled water is added for extraction; The bird's nest rises, half of the alkaline water is poured, and then it is extracted with boiling water for three or four times until it swells to three times the original product, and it feels soft and astringent, and it will break when pinched; Then rinse the alkaline surface and soak it in cold water for later use. Absorb the water with a dry cloth before cooking.

Second, evaporation. Also known as upper cage and steamer. It is a means of preliminary cooking treatment of cooking materials, not as a method of cooking dishes. Steam the clean materials after preliminary processing to the degree of undercooked, semi-cooked or just cooked to reduce the cooking time. First, soak the bird's nest in water at 50℃, then soak it in water at 70℃ until it swells, take it out to protect it from being broken, rinse it twice in water, blanch it in water at 80℃, wash it, put it in a bowl, and steam it to be soft with low fire.

Third, bubble hair. Also called dipping. Using water as an auxiliary solvent for hair, the dry material is soaked until it is swollen, soft and smooth for formal cooking. Dry raw materials can recover their original tender, smooth and soft state to the maximum extent after absorbing water again. According to the water temperature, water can be divided into:

1. Cold water (or warm water). Also known as soaking and bleaching. The water temperature is generally around 40℃, with normal temperature in summer and warm water in winter. Soak the bird's nest in cold water for two hours to remove feathers and impurities, then put it in a boiling water pot, cover it and soak for about 30 minutes. If it is not soft, you can soak it in boiling water for another 30 minutes. Because there is still a simmering process in the cooking process, it is not allowed to do enough hair to avoid losing the strip and soft taste. When applicable, take it out and soak it in cold water for use. Before use, put it in a boiling water pot and cook for about 2 minutes before cooking. This method is suitable for soup dishes.

2. Hot water (recommended for emergency use). Also known as soaking hair, boiling hair and stewing hair. The dried bird's nest material is soaked in hot water, and the seepage velocity of water molecules is increased by heating, so that the dried bird's nest material is fully expanded, thus achieving the effect that it is difficult to increase water consumption at room temperature.

When making bird's nest, we should adjust the water temperature and the time of making bird's nest according to the season and the tenderness of bird's nest. It should be checked and adjusted frequently to prevent the hair from leaving a hard core or causing dissolution. The prepared bird's nest should be soaked in cold water for use, but it should not be stored for a long time and should be used as soon as possible. The water and tools for moistening the bird's nest should be clean, and oil should not be stained, otherwise it will affect the hair quality.

Good mother Yan's experience sharing

Pick and wash the bird's nest: soak the bird's nest in clear water for about 3 hours, and tear the soaked bird's nest cup into filaments. Where the corner of bird's nest is difficult to penetrate, soak it for 2-3 hours and then tear it into pieces, and then soak it for 2-4 hours to completely penetrate all corners of bird's nest. Then filter the soaked bird's nest in water for 2-3 times with a stainless steel filter screen, and filter out impurities and fine hairs.