Today, we will be making Snow Fungus Dessert Soup!
It is a sweet Chinese-style soup made with snow fungus, dried longan, red dates, goji berries and with rock sugar. It is usually served as a light dessert at the end of the meal.
What is White Snow Fungus?
There are several benefit of having White Snow Fungus. Snow fungus improves the body’s immune system and helps to control the bacteria inside your intestines. Snow fungus contains dietary fibers that helps to lower cholesterol in the foods that we eat but also control the sugar absorption. The last benefit is liver detoxification. It is not only good for your liver but it also helps to prevent you from having any liver related illness
Where can you get White Snow Fungus?
It is available at mainly most of the supermarkets or Chinese grocery stores. The fungus usually will come in a packet, and it will be yellowish white in colour.
Ingredients needed to cook White Snow Fungus Soup
The ingredients we need are very simply and can get it easily at major supermarkets. There are:
1.) 60 grams of White Snow Fungus
2.) 15 Red Dates
3.) 40 grams of Goji Berries
4.) 30 grams of Dried Longans
5.) 120 grams of Rock Sugar
6.) 2.5 Litres of Water
Steps to cook White Snow Fungus Dessert Soup
1.) Wash and soak the snow fungus in clean water. After about 10 minutes, the snow fungus will become soft. The soaking time really depends on how big the snow fungus is. It might take longer than 10 minutes. It is best if you can cut the snow fungus into smaller pieces.
2.) Once it is soft, trim off the tough yellowish part at the bottom of the snow fungus. After the trimming, it should look like the picture below.
3.) Wash the red dates in clean water. If you want, you can cut the red dates into half too, so that it is easier to consume later on.
4.) Rinse the Goji berries too in clean water.
5.) Prepare the rest of the ingredients as show below.
6.) Put all the prepared snow fungus, red dates, dried longan and water in a large pot.
7.) Bring it to a boil, with low medium heat.
8.) When it is boiling, lower the heat to allow it to simmer and slightly open the cover.
9.) After about 20 minutes, everything in there especially the white snow fungus should have been softened and looks plump. If it not, cook it for a while more (However, do take note that do not overcooked, otherwise the whole pot will become thick and it will not be as nice)
10.) Add rock sugar and stir until they melt.
11.) Lastly add the goji berries. Goji berries need about last than 5 minutes to cook it. Do not overcooked the goji berries too, otherwise the soup will taste sour.
12.) Turn off the heat and they are ready to be served. They can be served warm or chilled.
13.) The leftover can be stored in the refrigerator. I would recommend not to store for more than 3 days, otherwise the whole soup will thicken up and it wouldn't be nice to have as a dessert.
Variations to Snow Fungus Dessert Soup
There is really no restriction on what goes into the snow fungus dessert soup. The main star here is really the snow fungus. You can pick and choose what you want to be inside the soup.
What I would suggest is to have at least the dried longan and red dates.
There are a few benefits of having dried longan. Basically, dried longan fruits have a fresh and delightful taste that tends to stick for long. You may experience a sweet after taste like that of caramel or sugar syrup after taking this fruit. Dried longan will tend to make the soup sweeter, so that you don't need to use so many of the artificial sweetener. Dried Longan was used as a treatment for insomnia too.
As for the rest of the ingredients, you can simply change with whatever you want.
Other possible ingredients that can be added are such as pears, papaya, apples and gingko nuts. The other most common variation is the apples with snow fungus and the apple and pear with snow fungus. The steps are the same, with placing all the ingredients in the pot, and letting it come to a boil.
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