Thursday, November 10, 2011

White Fungus Mung Bean Sweet Dessert Soup (银耳绿豆甜品汤)


White fungus or white wood ear fungus (白木耳) or snow fungus (雪耳) or silver ear fungus (银耳), whatever you called it is a species of fungus that grows on dead tree.  This fungus is white with a gelatinous fruit bodies and said to have medicinal benefits.  In Chinese cuisine, we mostly cook it in sweet soup or herbal savory soup.  You can even stir-fry with it.

I wanted to make split mung bean soup because it was quick and easy as it cooked really fast without  much prior soaking required.  Then, I remembered I made a nagaimo mung bean soup before which made me think what else could I used instead of nagaimo that I had at home.  Which came out to be white fungus.  I thought the crunchy white fungus would go well with my mung bean soup and hence this soup was created.  Got to say, it was good!  What a great way to trick my girls into eating the white fungus.

Oh, I had lots of broken bits of white fungus in my packet and thus that was what I used for this soup.  If your white fungus are in pieces, just take one and soften it in water and then cut it into smaller pieces.


Ingredients:

6 oz/ 200g split mung beans, soak in water for 30 minutes, wash and rinse until water run clear
1 cup soaked and cleaned white wood fungus/ snow fungus bits
55 oz filtered water
Gula Melaka/ rock sugar to taste
Fat free condensed milk (optional)


Method:

1.  In a large pot, add in the filtered water and bring it to boil.

2.  When boiling, add the washed mung beans and snow fungus.  Stir to mix.  Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Need to keep watch as mung beans cooked really fast.

3.  Season to taste with Gula Melaka (palm sugar) or rock sugar.  Stir until sugar dissolved.  [Note:  if you plan to add a little condensed milk like me, don't make it too sweet]

4.  I add about 1 tsp. of fat free condensed milk into the bowl before adding the hot sweet soup for a richer taste.  Stir until condensed milk is dissolved before serving.

14 comments:

  1. What a cool texture - bet this is so flavorful!

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  2. I made white fungus and sweet potato dessert soup quite recently too! White fungus is supposed to moisten the lungs - so when surrounded by dry air, should be good to have them once in a while ;)

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  3. i need more healthy sweets in my life!

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  4. Though I am an Indian but being a Malaysian, I am so incline to Chinese food and this white fungus is so nutritious and I do make it once a while with kei chi, dried longan but without the condensed milk.

    Will try your recipe the next time for a change since it looks quite tempting and I am curious to find out what the taste will be.

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  5. what a very healthy combination. it´s really good especially in this cold weather-

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  6. condensed milk to be added at the end- is that usual? haha.. i usually have mine plain! LOL

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  7. I love all kind of dessert with white fungus.

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  8. Have never tried this but it sounds and looks so nourishing! :)

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  9. Thanks Belinda. :)

    That's great to know Tigerfish as I am surrounded by dry air. Thanks! :)

    Vincent, I thought I already added my blog to Petitchef. Please confirm!

    Hehe Rita.

    Thanks Sonia.

    Feedback to me if you do, ok! The snow fungus gave this otherwise soft sweet soup a nice crunch.

    Yeah Retno, but I served the leftover cold though. :P

    Haha Daphne, just give it a nice fragrant yet not being too sweet. :P

    Good to know Ling. :)

    Thanks Smoky Wok.

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  10. This is quite different and very interesting. I've never seen a dessert soup, and this looks quite good - sweet and healthy!

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  11. I love white fungus! never had it together with mung bean though! it's great!

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  12. Is it good to keep this dessert in the fridge and eat over a few days or is that bad for the body?

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  13. Hi Jess,
    It should be okay to keep it in the refrigerator and eat within three days. All leftover are recommended to finish within three days in the refrigerator.

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