Lingzhi / reishi mushroom

靈芝

calms the spiritreplenishes qisoothes cough護肝養心增強免疫力

The dried woody bracket of the lingzhi or reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), sold as hard reddish-brown slices. Too tough to eat, it is simmered or double-steamed at length for a bitter-sweet, faintly medicinal broth, customarily mellowed with dried longan and red dates; the spent slices are discarded.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet、bitter　Meridians · heart、lung、liver、kidney

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy lingzhi is used to calm the spirit, support qi, the heart and the liver, and is traditionally regarded as a fortifying tonic for the soup pot.

Cautions — read first

[SAFETY CRITICAL] It has an antiplatelet and anticoagulant effect, so anyone on blood-thinning or anticoagulant medication should speak to a doctor first.
Stop taking it for the week either side of surgery.
Pregnant women and anyone breastfeeding should check first.
Do not double-boil it as a tonic while you have a cold or a fever.
The taste runs sweet and bitter, so it is best paired with dried longan (圓肉) and red dates (紅棗) to round it out.

Preparation

Slice it and give it a light rinse; it stands up to long double-boiling and leaves the soup with a sweet, bitter edge.

Origin

長白山野生著名；山東泰山（泰山赤芝）與浙江龍泉為栽培大宗 — AU supply is specialist herbal retail (Wellsoon reishi slices; extracts and capsules also sold)

Availability in Australia

Herbal shops / specialists · A$9.66–9.66 / 100g
Wellsoon Ganoderma reishi slices 灵芝片 300g $28.99; capsule/extract products $97.95–167.99 also retailed

Pairs well with

Silkie (black-boned chicken)Dried longan flesh Red jujube date

Soups that use this ingredient · 1

Double-boiled silkie chicken with lingzhi (reishi)A$12–20

靈芝燉烏雞

calms the spiritreplenishes qinourishes bloodAll year

百子櫃Lingzhi / reishi mushroom· 20 g 赤靈芝街市Silkie (black-boned chicken)· half a bird百子櫃Dried longan flesh· 12 g百子櫃Red jujube date· 4街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”