White Fungus Recipe

Brain-Boosting White Fungus Recipe

White fungus isn’t the most attractively named ingredient on the market, but behind the (somewhat) unappealing descriptor lies something superb. White fungus is packed full of goodness, and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth when made into a soup.

This recipe for white fungus dessert soup is incredibly easy to make, and it’s the perfect ending to any meal. Enjoy it hot or cold, and its syrupy sweetness works to cleanse the palate.

Served warm during winter, white fungus dessert soup makes the body feel cozy. Or sip it cold in the summer, and let the lightness refresh you.

Anyone can make this recipe, as long as you can find dried white fungus for sale. And everyone should make this recipe, because white fungus is packed full of health benefits.

Add everything to a pot, leave it to simmer, sit back, and wait for a nutritional end to a heavy meal. 

What is white fungus?

White fungus is a type of edible mushroom, most commonly found in Asian cookery. It has an unusual shape, with lots of delicate folds that make it almost appear like a coral.

In recipes, it’s often referred to as “snow fungus”, although it’s also found under the name “silver ear”, “snow ear”, and “white wood ear”. White fungus is sold dried, and it needs to be soaked before being added to soups, stews, and desserts.

White fungus doesn’t have much of a taste on its own, so it absorbs the flavorings of other ingredients.

What are the health benefits of white fungus?

White fungus is perhaps best known for its beauty enhancing properties! It has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for many years. White fungus contains polysaccharides, which can help the skin to retain moisture and collagen.

It acts as a sort of anti-wrinkle moisturizer, so no wonder white fungus soup is so popular! Beside the beauty properties, white fungus is potentially anti-inflammatory, and can boost brain health alongside the immune system.

White fungus is essentially a mushroom, making it low in fat, high in fiber, and rich with nutrients.

How to prepare white fungus (snow fungus)

As it’s generally sold dried, white fungus needs to be soaked before eating. This process doesn’t take very long, but it’s absolutely vital you don’t miss it out.

  • Soak the white fungus in hot water for 15 minutes, or until soft. A larger fungus will need to soak for longer.
  • Rinse the fungus in cold water, working to remove any dirt that may be trapped.
  • Using scissors, cut away the fungus from the hard center. Discard the center.
  • Cut these pieces into smaller, bite size amounts, or tear them with your hands.
  • Cook the fungus with a long, slow simmer. It should become soft and gelatinous, with a silky texture.

How to make white fungus soup

This is a real “dump it and go” recipe. Everything cooks best with a long, slow simmer. The white fungus becomes soft and silky, until it almost melts in your mouth.

It also begins to absorb the flavors of everything else, and a long simmer turns the whole mixture syrupy. 

Start by adding the white fungus to cold water, and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. After this, add the pear (or apple), cover the pan, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Add the rock sugar, dried dates, and anything else you want. Cover the pan, and leave it to simmer for up to 2 hours. When it’s reached a consistency you’re happy with, turn off the heat and add the goji berries.

They’ll start to soften in the warm broth, without becoming bitter. Either eat it straight away, or leave it to cool.

This is a traditional Lunar New Year recipe, partly because white fungus can be quite expensive. It’s perfect after a big Lunar New Year feast, and a great way to celebrate health and prosperity with loved ones!

White Fungus Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 dried white fungus, soaked and trimmed
  • 10 cups water
  • 1 Asian pear, or sub 1 apple
  • 2 tablespoons dried goji berries
  • ¼ cup dried red dates
  • 40g rock sugar

Directions:

  1. Soak the dried white fungus for 15 minutes, until softened. Drain, rinse under cold water to remove dirt, and cut away the hard center. Trim the remaining pieces into 4 inch chunks.
  2. Soak the dates in warm water for roughly 5 minutes. If pitted, use a small knife to remove the stone.
  3. Add the white fungus and water to a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat. Simmer on a low heat for roughly 30 minutes.
  4. Peel and cut the Asian pear, or apple, into large chunks, discarding the core. Place the pieces into the pot, alongside the white fungus. Simmer, covered, for an additional 30 minutes.
  5. Add the dates and the rock sugar. The soup will be naturally sweetened by the fruit, so only add sugar to taste. 
  6. Cover, and simmer the soup over a low heat. After 30 minutes, everything should be softened. However, for the best results, let the soup simmer for 1-2 hours. This will turn it syrupy, and the fungus will be silky soft.
  7. Once you’re happy with your soup texture, turn off the heat and add the goji berries. These will soften for the residual warmth, but too much cooking can turn them bitter. 
  8. Serve hot or chilled!

Notes: A long simmer is better, but it isn’t necessary. As long as all the ingredients have turned soft, the soup is ready to serve.

Sweetness is added naturally from the dates, and pear. Taste and adjust when adding rock sugar. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out.

The ingredients for this dessert soup are super versatile, so feel free to switch things out as you wish. Popular additions include lotus seeds, dried or fresh longan, papaya, black dates, and ginkgo nuts. For many of these ingredients, they simply need to be added alongside the rock sugar.

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