OUR PRODUCTS

Dear readers,

Let me introduce our products from our own birdnest house. We sell types of birdnest, they are:

1. SUPER QUALTIY FOR NATURAL BIRDNEST : This birdnest is the whitest birdnest and guarantee this products has no added chemicals agent.



2. REGULAR PROCESSED BIRDNEST : This type of birdnest is a bit yellowish than the super quality but this is natural. The yellowish colour happen naturally and not because of the chemicals liquid.


3. CORNER SWALLOW NEST : In Indonesia we call it as "Sudut" type because this swallow nest is taken from the corner ceiling of the swallow nest house.


4. BROKEN SWALLOW NEST: We call it "Patahan" type. This type is taken from the edge of the swallow nest.


5. RETAIL SWALLOW NEST : This product has 2 forms i.e loose and "the horse shoes" ("Tapal Kuda" forms) . This form is not the standard, we create by our own idea so that it'll look nicer. This type is very suitable for medicine or food and beverage products. This type may be purchased in small quantity eg 1 ounce.

All of these products can be viewed in the right side bar.

That's all the brief explanation about our products swallow nest and for any enquiries, you may e-mail at sbnbiz@gmail.com

Looking forward to serving you

CLASSIFICATION OF SWALLOW NEST

Swallow nest is classified into cave nest and house nest in terms of sourcing.

Cave nests are those constructed by edible-nest swiftlets in caves and on cliffs. Owing to the harsh natural climate and environment, the nest is firm, hard and deep in color. It is not as well shaped as house nest and exhibits higher impurities. Cave nest is crunchy with a low swelling capacity that lengthens the time for it to swell when preparing.

House nest refers to the nest built in wooden-roofed swallow farmhouses that are humid and dark. The interior temperature is kept at around 30 ¢J. Brightness and humidity (about 90%) are also maintained to the conditions similar to the bird's natural cave habitat. Swiftlets leave the farmhouse to find food in the wild in the morning and returns in the evening.
Since the farmhouse provides the swallows a better habitat, house nests are much cleaner with less impurities and feathers. They also have an intact cup shape, and have a high swelling capacity.

Swallow nest is also classified according to colors: white, blood-red and yellow, even grey and purple. Different colors exist in the nests because swiftlets feed on different food. White nests are generally smooth, while yellow and blood-red nests are crunchier because they contain more minerals than white nests.
The market generally differentiates swallow nest based on its appearance: the natural whole nest cup, nest strips, nest pieces, and the irregular shaped nest cake processed from nest pieces. The whole nest cup looks better, has the highest nutritional value and is priced the highest. Most nest cups come from house nests.

During processing and shipping, some nest cups are broken into strips and pieces and they are then sold as such. Their swelling capacity and prices are lower but the nutritional value is the same as that of nest cups. However, because cave nests contain more impurities and feathers, the nests may be required to be broken during processing in order to remove dirt and feathers. After disintegration and removal of feathers and impurities, the nest may be sold in nest strips and nest pieces, or molded into the shape of a nest cake. These nests generally contain less nest-cement and are of less nutritional value.

PROCESSING THE SWALLOW NEST

Harvest Time

Swallow nests are harvested 3 times per year. So swiftlets lose their homes three times a season. The first period is from November to March, which is immediately followed by the second and third periods.
Rainfall is particularly substantial during the first period. This provides an environment highly suitable for the growth of tiny animals and plants, giving swiftlets plenty of food. Swiftlets in this period grow particularly strong and thereby produce copious amount of saliva. Swallow nests harvested during this period are the best because they are big and thick, containing fewer impurities.

The second harvesting period is during the dry season, between April and June. There is a decrease in food supply for the swiftlets and this results in the nests being thin and loose and the nest threads thick. The shape and the swelling capacity of the nests are poorer than those of the first period.

The third period is well within the drought season, between July and October. During this period of the year, the swiftlets are weak. Their secretion of saliva is low and feathers come off more easily.
Swallow nests that are constructed are smaller in size, containing more impurities and feathers and have a very poor swelling capacity. As the nests are traditionally harvested from high up on cave walls, there is some risk to the collectors who stand on bamboo scaffolding that is sometimes hundreds of feet tall and centuries old. The risk involved in harvesting is a reason why cave swallow nest is so expensive. In contrast, house swallow nest is less expensive.


Cleaning the Nest
Processing swallow's nest is a long, tedious and labor intensive process.
First the raw swallow's nest has to be soaked for 2 to 48 hours for them to absorb water and expand. Depending on the kind of nests, the time required for them to expand or swell is different. The water need not be retained after soaking.

The next step is to separate the feathers from the edible cement content. Larger feathers can be easily plucked off with a pair of forceps.

Finally, place the expanded swallow nest on a double-layer stainless steel strainer. Rinse with tap water and at the same time tear the threads of the nest apart to remove the impurities.

ABOUT BIRD NEST

Bird nest has been very well known since Tang Dynasty (618-907). Bird nest has high value selling because it is good for health, even it is believed that bird nest is good for lungs, good for blood circulation and it can increase the stamina. Pregnant women is very strongly recommended to consume the bird nest so that their wombs would be strong
Bird nest is good not only for the health, but bird nest also good for the skin face. It prevents premature aging
Now, I’m going a bit tell you about “the history” of bird nest. The bird which produces bird nest is Swallow. The swallow likes eating insects and the body of the swallow is thin and small, so that when they fly, they’ll fly aerodynamically.
The swallow never nest in trees. They like nesting in humid, dark and no density population and swallow does not like pests.
The pests such as rats, cockroaches, lizards, would disturb the swallow because they would eat the swallow’s egg.

Perhaps you are wondering what part of the swallow were taken. Human take the bird’s silvary glands which become enlarged, and produce thick, sticky, ropy saliva which hardens, once exposed to air. Over a period of weeks the birds construct a bowl shaped nest of several layers. The first Birds Nest harvest is before the Swifts have a chance to lay their eggs and a second harvest is done after the young swiftlets have left the nest. The second harvest is considered a lower grade of birds nest. There are a few types of Birds Nest, the highest quality being White Birds Nest which comes from the first harvest. Red Birds Nest, the color is caused by the bird’s diet and not the bird’s blood as originally thought. Golden and Black Birds Nest, which are thought to be the lowest quality due to the amount of feathers, plant and dirt particles embedded in the nests.

The main nutritional contents are carbohydrates, glycoprotein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, iodine, and vitamins. Birds Nest is rich in amino acids and antioxidants, the two essential elements that help to generate new cells and counter free radical damage. Regular consumption has been clinically proven to stimulate cell growth and renewal, improve complexion, promote skin clarity and tone, strengthen the bodies immune system and enhance metabolism.

To prepare the Birds Nest you first soak the nest in water for several hours, periodically changing the water. Any left over particles should be removed. Once the nest has softened it is then placed into a ceramic urn with water (about one cup per nest) and rock sugar. The urn is then covered and placed into a boiling pot of water and boiled for an up to four hours.

SWALLOW NEST RECIPE

BIRD NEST SOUP WITH MUSHROOM

Ingredients:
8 oz. birds' nests
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, chopped
4 oz. cooked chicken, cubed
4 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
8 oz. canned quail eggs, drained
7 ½ cups chicken stock

Directions:
1. Soak the birds' nest in water for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan.
3. Add the ginger and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, eggs and stock and bring to boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add birds' nests/ Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve at once in bowls.