Kitchen Recipe Collection
Papaya Snow Fungus Soup
A nourishing, classic 'Tong Sui' (sweet soup) revered for its beauty benefits. Chunks of ripe papaya, gelatinous snow fungus, sweet red dates, and apricot kernels simmered in a light rock sugar syrup.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 1/2 large ripe papaya (about 400g flesh)
- 1 piece dried snow fungus (Tremella)
- 1/4 cup sweet almonds (South Apricot Kernels)
- 6 dried red dates (jujubes), pitted
- 5 cups water
- 1/3 cup rock sugar (or to taste)
Equipment
- Large pot or slow cooker
Instructions
- 1
Soak Snow Fungus
Soak the dried snow fungus in cold water for 20-30 minutes until fully expanded and soft.
- 2
Trim Fungus
Cut off the hard, dark yellow core at the bottom of the fungus and discard it. Tear the remaining frilly petals into small, bite-sized pieces.
- 3
Soak Kernels
Rinse the sweet apricot kernels and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes.
- 4
Prepare Papaya
Peel the papaya, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into large chunks.
- 5
Simmer Fungus
Place the torn snow fungus, apricot kernels, red dates, and 5 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
- 6
Simmer for Texture
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. The longer you cook the fungus, the softer and more gelatinous the soup becomes.
- 7
Add Papaya
Add the papaya chunks to the pot.
- 8
Add Sugar
Add the rock sugar.
- 9
Final Simmer
Simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the papaya is very tender but not completely dissolved, and the sugar has melted.
- 10
Serve
Can be served steaming hot in the winter, or chilled perfectly cold in the summer.
Cooking Tips
- Snow fungus is practically flavorless; its purpose is entirely textural (gelatinous and slightly crunchy) and medicinal.
- Rock sugar (Bing Tang) is preferred over regular sugar because it provides a clear, clean sweetness that doesn't overpower the delicate fruit.
Variations
- Add Goji Berries: Stir in a handful of goji berries during the last 5 minutes of cooking for a pop of color and extra nutrition.
Nutrition Estimate
150 calories · 2g protein · 32g carbs · 1g fat · 4g fiber per serving
