WHAT? Real bird’s-nest soup? Yes, made from a bird’s nest, just as anyone familiar with Chinese cuisine will tell you. This light, clear soup with delicate flavor is made from the edible nest of a swiftlet.

Perhaps the most adventurous way to experience it is to prepare it in one’s own kitchen. Here in Kuala Lumpur, as in most Southeast Asian cities, the bird’s nest is sold mainly in Chinese herbal medicine shops. As we enter one of these, the salesman politely inquires what we want.

“Yin woh,” we answer in Cantonese.

“Ah,” the salesman exclaims, assuming the air of an expert. “Let me recommend the best.” He takes out his goods and continues: “This is Pah Sai yin, the most popular variety among connoisseurs.”

“What makes it the best?”

“Because you can cook it for a whole day and the little strands will hold their shape. This type is from Borneo, and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed in it.”

It appears that the nests are available in various qualities, priced all the way from 24 Malay dollars per tahil (1-1/3 oz.) down to 7.50 Malay dollars for the local nests from Pulau Tioman. We do notice that the local variety is in loose strands, not at all like the tight spoon shape of the imported variety.

After some bargaining and consequent reduction in price, we speed home with our purchase. Overnight the nest is soaked in water. Then the first job in the morning is to settle down to picking away patiently in order to clean the bird’s down, feathers and other impurities from the softened, expanded nest.

An obliging Chinese neighbor informs us: “Just add enough water to the cleaned nest to attain the desired consistency, enough rock sugar for the right degree of sweetness. Then cook for two hours in a double boiler.”

Pressed for another savory recipe, she goes on: “A simple way is to cook the nest with some chicken and ham, both shredded, and the appropriate amount of water. Double boil for three hours. And to dress up the dish one can do a fu-yong, that is, stir a beaten egg into the soup just before lifting it from the stove.”