Bird's Nest with Chicken Porridge

Ingredients
* Two whole bird's nest (cooked)
* chicken breast meat (200gm)
* 3 dried scallops
* 1 cup of rice
* 3 cups of chicken broth
* 7 cups of water
* shredded spring onion
* vegetable oil
* salt to taste


Marinade
* ½ tsp salt
* ¼ tsp granulated sugar
* 1 tsp light soy sauce
* 1 tsp ginger juice
* 1 tsp wine
* ¾ tsp corn starch
* dash of sesame oil
* pinch of white pepper
* ½ tbsp oil


Method

Wash rice. Add dash of oil and salt. Marinade for 1 hour.

Soak dry scallops until they are tender. Tear into shreds.

Steam chicken breast for 20 minutes. Let it cool down. Tear into shreds and add marinade.

Bring water to the boil. Add dried scallops and rice. Bring to the boil again then cook under low heat and the rice becomes congee.

Add shredded chicken and swallow nest. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Season with pinch of salt. Put shredded spring onion on top. Serve hot.

Bird Nest Soup

You may pre-cook the bird's nest and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days to be added to dessert, porridge, soup, as additional stuff for pork dumpling etc.

Soak the bird's nest in a bowl of water for 45 mins to one hour.

Use a sifter to filter the water and set the bird's nest aside.

Bring to boil a pot of water and place the bird's nest in a stew pot, making sure the stew water must cover the nest.

Place the stew pot in the pot of boiling water and using low heat for 45 mins.

For simple bird's nest soup, add rock sugar at the end of stewing.

Alternatively, you may add 5-6 pieces of American Ginseng or 4-5 pieces of red dates and simmer with the bird's nest.

Important: Always add rock sugar at the end of stewing not begining as it will spoil the taste of the bird's nest soup.