Snow Pear White Fungus Sweet Soup 雪梨雪耳糖水

For the past two weeks, the weather has been really dry as there is hardly any rain and as usual it is so humid in Singapore.  

Wanted to cook some sweet soup for the family as my daughter's skin looks "dried up" and lacks the healthy glow. I guess it is the stress that she is getting during this pre PSLE period.

Just can't wait to put all these behind us in Oct.

Cantonese loves sweet soup 糖水 as we believe that it can balance the yin and yang.  The components for making sweet soup normally has nourishing effect on our body parts.

Benefit of :

White fungus 雪耳 - has been know to be very beneficial to our body. They are known to fight infection, safeguards the liver, swellings and irritations slows aging process. It is also rumor to brighten face by diminishing age-spots, sun-spots, and wrinkles. It's know to have just as much nutrition as the birds ness which is an expensive delicacy in Asia.  It also nourish the lungs.

Sweet Almond 楠杏 - moisten the lungs (thus minimizing dry coughs) and reduce the production of phlegm

Bitter almond - just to bring out the flavor of Sweet almond.

Honey Dates 大蜜枣 - Replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly, prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties. Moderate sources of vitamin-A, protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals.

chinese pear 水梨 - good source of vitamin C and copper.  Also high in antioxidant nutrients

Important Note: You need to balance out the almonds ratio as Bitter Almond is toxic (smaller).   Correct proportion is 5:1 that is 5 portion of Sweet Almond to 1 portion of Bitter Almond

Thus based on the above, I cook a pot of Snow Pear White Fungus Sweet Soup 雪梨雪耳糖水.  In time for hubby have some tonight.

What you need:

1 pc dried snow fungus雪耳

2 chinese pear (I used 南水梨)

Sweet Almond 楠杏

Bitter Almond北杏 (this is toxic, so you cannot add more)

3 candied dates 大蜜枣

rock sugar to taste

1½ liter water

Method:

Soak dried snow fungus until soft.   Rinse and cut off hard areas.  Cut into small chunks.

Rinse and cut pears into quarter, remove the core.  Then cut into chunks.

Put all ingredients except rock sugar in a pot with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently, covered. Check after 30 minutes (for firm texture) or 1 hour for (for softer and gel like texture).

Season to taste with rock sugar.

Serve hot, chilled.

Note: I used a slow cooker.