Just last week I made this dessert because I was rummaging in my kitchen and found some snow fungus. This is a classic dessert that any Cantonese would know. I was just surprised at myself that I haven't made this dessert in a long time. Maybe because I didn't have the key ingredient - snow fungus - at hand!
What is Snow Fungus?
It is technically a fungus that grows on dead bark or tree stumps just like wood ear fungus.
It is technically a fungus that grows on dead bark or tree stumps just like wood ear fungus.
Snow fungus or silver ear, snow ear or white wood ear is known as Tremella fuciformis and yes, it is an edible fungus. The pleasanter term is mushroom if that makes you feel better. As most mushrooms go, they contain vitamin D, zinc, calcium, and folate.
Benefits of Snow Fungus
Snow fungus is said to have anti-ageing effects due to the presence of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that acts as a potent antioxidant throughout the body, particularly in the skin. It is best known in TCM for nourishing the lungs and we know how important this fact is right now when we are all in the midst of a pandemic. And snow fungus is suitable for older people too.
According to Ping Ming Health,
"Snow fungus has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine as a potent Jing and Qi tonic for thousands of years. It is believed to tonify the lungs, kidneys, heart, brain, stomach, and acts as a powerful tonic for the immune system. Snow fungus has been clinically used to help clear heat and dryness, replenish fluids in the body (Yin deficiency), treat chest congestion, asthma, constipation, balance blood sugar levels and cholesterol (reduces LDL), and lower inflammation." It goes on to say that for these reasons, snow fungus is suitable for people who have a chronic cough, dry cough without phlegm, dry skin, constipation and smokers too.
Generally, eating snow fungus helps the kidneys, lungs, stomach and heart and treats high blood pressure. If you're a woman, eating snow fungus is a beauty regime must-have and rightly so because anything that helps your lungs definitely will give you a clear and lustrous complexion!
Once it has come to a boil, add some rock sugar and sugarcane sugar. After that add in dried longans (that you have soaked for a while to rehydrate) and dried red dates. Simmer this on low fire for 15 minutes.
Another variation of this dessert is to cook it with pear that you have cubed. You can also add peach gum too as another variation.
Keep the leftover in the fridge and drink chilled the next day. Or if you're like me, just warm up the leftover on the stove before consuming. I prefer my dessert warm and taken at tea time or after dinner.
Apparently, some blogs recommend cooking snow fungus until it becomes gelatinous. And others have said that there are generally 2 types of snow fungus - the crunchy type and the gelatinous type. I have yet to confirm this with the Chinese medical hall so I am not sure of this fact. Anyway, the one that I bought was from the supermarket so there's simply no telling what type it is until I cooked it. It turned out to be crunchy but it was OK for me as I like my snow fungus crunchy.
Here's A Tip
Benefits of Snow FungusSnow fungus is said to have anti-ageing effects due to the presence of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that acts as a potent antioxidant throughout the body, particularly in the skin. It is best known in TCM for nourishing the lungs and we know how important this fact is right now when we are all in the midst of a pandemic. And snow fungus is suitable for older people too.
According to Ping Ming Health,
"Snow fungus has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine as a potent Jing and Qi tonic for thousands of years. It is believed to tonify the lungs, kidneys, heart, brain, stomach, and acts as a powerful tonic for the immune system. Snow fungus has been clinically used to help clear heat and dryness, replenish fluids in the body (Yin deficiency), treat chest congestion, asthma, constipation, balance blood sugar levels and cholesterol (reduces LDL), and lower inflammation." It goes on to say that for these reasons, snow fungus is suitable for people who have a chronic cough, dry cough without phlegm, dry skin, constipation and smokers too.
Generally, eating snow fungus helps the kidneys, lungs, stomach and heart and treats high blood pressure. If you're a woman, eating snow fungus is a beauty regime must-have and rightly so because anything that helps your lungs definitely will give you a clear and lustrous complexion!
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| Snow fungus dessert for lung health |
Snow Fungus Dessert Recipe (serves 4 people easily)
- 1 piece or 30gm dried snow fungus
- 6-8 dried red dates, remove stones
- 2 tablespoons goji berries
- 2 tablespoons dried longans
- Rock sugar (to taste)
- Water
You can make this dessert easily in 30 minutes. First, you need to soak the snow fungus until it expands. Next, snip off the tough "stem" at the bottom of the fungus and cut the fungus or tear it into smaller pieces. Put these into a pot - I used my favourite black clay pot with water and turn on the heat. Let it come to a boil.
Once it has come to a boil, add some rock sugar and sugarcane sugar. After that add in dried longans (that you have soaked for a while to rehydrate) and dried red dates. Simmer this on low fire for 15 minutes. Finally, add in the goji berries and let them simmer for another 2-3 minutes. (If you put in your goji berries too early, they'd soften and break.) Turn off fire and your dessert is ready. Serve warm.
Another variation of this dessert is to cook it with pear that you have cubed. You can also add peach gum too as another variation.
Keep the leftover in the fridge and drink chilled the next day. Or if you're like me, just warm up the leftover on the stove before consuming. I prefer my dessert warm and taken at tea time or after dinner.
Apparently, some blogs recommend cooking snow fungus until it becomes gelatinous. And others have said that there are generally 2 types of snow fungus - the crunchy type and the gelatinous type. I have yet to confirm this with the Chinese medical hall so I am not sure of this fact. Anyway, the one that I bought was from the supermarket so there's simply no telling what type it is until I cooked it. It turned out to be crunchy but it was OK for me as I like my snow fungus crunchy.
How do you like yours? Crunchy or soft and mushy? Let me know in the comments.
Savoury Snow Fungus Soup
When I was growing up, my dad used to boil snow fungus soup with pork or chicken and dried red dates and goji berries. This made for a savoury soup but I wasn't a big fan of gelatinous chicken soup! I also recall that my dad would use the slow cooker and boil the snow fungus for at least 6 hours so maybe that turned the snow fungus into mush!
Savoury Snow Fungus Soup
When I was growing up, my dad used to boil snow fungus soup with pork or chicken and dried red dates and goji berries. This made for a savoury soup but I wasn't a big fan of gelatinous chicken soup! I also recall that my dad would use the slow cooker and boil the snow fungus for at least 6 hours so maybe that turned the snow fungus into mush!
Here's A Tip
Here's a tip I recently learnt from watching Youtube - sprinkle some flour over your red dates and goji berries when you wash them. The flour helps clean your herbs more thoroughly. Remember to rinse them well after! This helps me use up flour that's expired! (I have grand dreams of baking but forget half the time and my flour sits around, expired. Now I have some use for the expired flour.)
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