White Fungus Asian Pear Sweet Soup 銀耳雪梨山藥糖水 (yín er xuě lí shān yào táng shuǐ) is a sweet soup to make to clear the respiratory system. Sweet soups are a Chinese dessert soup for any time of day, not just for after lunch or dinner. They are especially popular amongst Cantonese people. Various fresh and dried fruits and herbs are used to bring the body back into harmony. Harmony meaning the balance of yin and yang.
White fungus aka cloud ear is a super food in Chinese herbology. Chinese herbalists believe that it can clear arteries, nourish blood, rejuvenate blood cells, soothe intestines, nourish reproductive organs, beautify skin, weight management and so much more!
Long, long ago, in Sichuan province, a girl name 銀花 Yin Hua lived with her mother in the forest. They sold fire wood to the nearby village to make a living. Her mother became ill one day; she had no energy and looked pale. No one was able to diagnose her ailment nor were they able to cure her.
One day Yin Hua went into the forest and stumbled upon what she thought were white flowers growing on a 青杠樹Qing Gang tree (ring cupped oak). Upon taking a closer look, she knew it was a fungus and that it was edible. She tasted some and found it to have a subtle sweet taste and took a few to bring back to her mother. They then made soup with it for the next couple of weeks. Yin Hua was pleasantly surprised to find that her mother got her energy back and looked rejuvenated. Yin Hua also became more beautiful.
Soon after, the nearby villages all heard about this and everybody wanted to try this rejuvenation fungus that they named “白耳 bai er (white ear)”. But it was Yin Hua who discovered how to grow it at home. She cut a branch of the Qing Gang tree and grew the white fungus herself. After she passed, they changed the name from “bai er” to “yin er” to commemorate her for the discovery of this miracle herb.
My White Fungus Asian Pear Sweet Soup 銀耳雪梨山藥糖水 recipe will show you how to make a simple, light and healthy sweet soup. I added both Asian pears and fresh Chinese yam to heighten the benefits to the respiratory and digestive systems. This is the perfect soup for getting your body ready for the cold winter months.
Interested in more Chinese sweet soups? Check out the following recipes:
- Papaya, Peach Resin and Coconut Soup 木瓜桃膠椰汁糖水
- Mung Bean, Kelp and Rue Herb Sweet Soup 臭草海帶綠豆沙
- Asian Pear Peach Resin Sweet Soup 雪梨桃膠糖水
White Fungus Asian Pear Sweet Soup 銀耳雪梨山藥糖水
Ingredients
- 2 Asian pears
- 1 bulb Dried white fungus (aka yun er, yin er, cloud ear or fungus)
- 130 g Fresh Chinese Yam (aka huai shan, wai san, shan yao, approx. 1 foot long)
- 5 g Sweet apricot kernel (南杏 or southern apricot kernel)
- 5 g Bitter apricot kernel (北杏 or northern apricot kernel)
- 10 g Goji berries
- 45 g Rock sugar
- 1 L Water
Instructions
- Soak 1 bulb dried white fungus in water for 1 hour.
You usually buy the dried ones. They come in either the dried bulbs or a dried compressed bulb (once soaked, they become a bulb). Both are fine - Once the white fungus has softened, chop up the outer parts and remove the inner courser part. Set aside.
You can use the inner parts as well but the texture will be hard and course 
- Cut the Asian pear into bite-size pieces and set aside.
You can peel them or leave the peel on - Peel the Chinese yam. Stick a skewer in one end to make it easier to grip and peel.
They have a very slimy texture that makes it very difficult to hold onto. You may also want to wear gloves because some people may get an allergic reaction to the slimy juice. You may also use the dried form of Chinese yams - Hit the Chinese yam with the side of your clever to break it apart slightly
- Chop up the Chinese yam and set it aside
- Add 1 L of water to a pot and add the white fungus. Bring to a boil
- Add Asian pears, Chinese yams, apricot kernels and rock sugar
- Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to low and cook for 30 minutes with lid
If it’s boiling over a bit, use 2 chopsticks placed horizontally on the 2 sides of the pot to prop up the lid so the steam can escape - After 30 minutes, taste to test sweetness. Add more rock sugar or water to adjust and cook until additional sugar has dissolved
- Turn off heat, add goji berries, cover with lid and wait 5 minutes
- Serve
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