Rock sugar — Lo Fo Tong 老火湯

Rock sugar

冰糖

moistens the lungs生津和中燉品糖水調味

Large crystals of refined cane sugar, sold as clear single crystals (單晶冰糖) or amber multi-crystal lumps (黃冰糖). It dissolves into sweet soups and double-steamed desserts with a cleaner, less cloying sweetness than white sugar, giving tong sui a glossy body; it goes in near the end of cooking.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet　Meridians · spleen、lung

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy rock sugar is used to moisten the lungs, generate fluids and harmonise the middle — the customary sweetener for pear or snow fungus tong sui.

Cautions — read first

People with diabetes should watch how much they take.
When double-boiling bird's nest, add it only in the last 5 minutes; going in early makes the bird's nest melt away to water.

Preparation

Break it into small pieces; add it near the end of a double-boiled dish (燉品) and stir until it dissolves.

Origin

南方產蔗省份；雲南黃冰糖著名 — AU Asian grocers stock Chinese-brand packs (Henghui, Kambow)

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers · A$0.84–0.87 / 100g
Henghui crystal rock sugar 380g $3.19; Kambow 400g $3.49 (survey section 1 bonus list)

Pairs well with

Edible bird's nest Asian pear / snow pear Snow fungus Papaya Fresh milk

Soups that use this ingredient · 5

Double-boiled snow fungus with longan and lotus seedsA$4–5

桂圓蓮子燉雪耳

nourishes yinmoistens the lungsnourishes blood3h slow fireAutumnWinterAll year

百子櫃Snow fungus· 20 g百子櫃Dried longan flesh· 30 g百子櫃Lotus seed· 10 g百子櫃Red jujube date· 5 to 10百子櫃Rock sugar· 6 g

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

Double-boiled fresh milk with fish mawNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

花膠燉鮮奶

nourishes yinrelieves drynessnourishes the complexion3.5h slow fireAutumnWinterAll year

百子櫃Fish maw (dried swim bladder)· 4 pieces of 白花膠街市Fresh milk· 1 litre百子櫃Rock sugar· 50 g

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

Double-boiled bird's nest with rock sugarA$17–35

冰糖燉燕窩

nourishes yinrelieves drynessmoistens the lungsAll yearAutumn

百子櫃Edible bird's nest· 1 dried nest (about 5 to 8 g)百子櫃Rock sugar· to taste

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

Double-boiled pear with rock sugar (with fritillary for cough)A$2–7

冰糖燉雪梨 (川貝燉雪梨)

moistens the lungssoothes coughclears heatAutumn

街市Asian pear / snow pear· 1 to 2百子櫃Rock sugar· to taste百子櫃Tendrilleaf fritillary bulb· 8 g (2 mace)

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

Double-boiled papaya with snow fungusA$2–4

木瓜燉雪耳 (冰糖雪耳燉木瓜)

nourishes yinmoistens the lungsnourishes the complexionSummerAutumn

街市Papaya· 200 g百子櫃Snow fungus· 100 g百子櫃Sweet apricot kernel· 5 g百子櫃Bitter apricot kernel· 5 g百子櫃Rock sugar· 65 g

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”