Ginkgo Nuts, Red dates, Longan and Snow Fungus Dessert

This Chinese dessert is cooked during Chinese New Year and on special occasions such as weddings, birthday celebrations due to the sweetness of the dessert. Sweetness in foods usually symbolises sweet life and blessings for the future.

Snow fungus is used for its clear, sweet flavour and its health benefits. I used Longan/ Dragon eye- a sweet fruit for this dessert to give a more flavoursome sweet taste. You can buy fresh gingko nuts encased in its white shells, crack off the shells for the yellow gingko or buy canned ones.

What is Snow FUNGUS?
Snow fungus has many names such as snow ear fungus, white wood ear, white Tremella, silver ear fungus, white jelly mushroom and they belong to the mushroom family.

In fact they are very popular and sought after!
• Often found in dessert dishes for its medicinal nutritious benefits.
• They are rich in collagen which helps boost cell regeneration after surgeries and skin healing.
• They help to sooth the Lungs by healing/stopping any new or prolonged dry coughs.
• Other benefits includes improving blood circulation, strengthening the respiratory system but most of all it has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties.
• They do this by boosting the effectiveness of antibodies in the body reducing the spread of cancers.

They may look like BATH SPONGES but I assure you they are not! I wouldn’t use bath sponges in my dessert as I haven’t gone completely crazy LOL!

Where to find your snow fungus
You can find them in any CHINESE STORES. They are always package in a clear bag with 3 to 4 other snow funguses in the dried goods area.

What you need to do with them before you add into your dessert.
All you need to do is soak it in warm water overnight, remove the middle, yellowish hard core and discard. Rinse the translucent snow fungus under cold water and cut into small parts.
OR
If you are in a HURRY, soak it in hot water for 10-15 minutes, remove the middle, yellowish hard core and discard. Rinse the translucent snow fungus under cold water and cut into small parts.

Makes: 4-5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1½ litres water
150 grams rock sugar
100 grams fresh or canned gingko nuts
50 grams dried longan/dragon eye
10 grams snow fungus =1 snow fungus
10 Chinese red dates

Methods
• Soak snow fungus in warm water overnight, remove the middle, yellowish hard core and discard. Rinse the translucent snow fungus under cold water and cut into small parts.
OR
• If you are in a HURRY, soak it in hot water for 10-15 minutes, remove the middle, yellowish hard core and discard. Rinse the translucent snow fungus under cold water and cut into small parts.

• Rinse red dates, remove stones, slightly crush them with a fork, rinse longans, ginkgo and set aside.

• Bring water to boil on medium heat. Once hot add in all the ingredients. Turn the heat down to medium/low simmer with lid on for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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