Double-boiled papaya with snow fungus

Ingredients

Method

Double-boil (隔水燉, the covered pot sits in a pan of simmering water): first melt the rock sugar into a syrup. Put the papaya, snow fungus and sweet and bitter apricot kernels in the double-boiling pot and pour in about 1200 ml of syrup in total, put the lid on and seal it with cling film (traditionally 紗紙, a thin gauze paper), then sit it in a pan of boiling water (the water coming one third to halfway up the side of the pot) for 1 hour, until the snow fungus turns gelatinous.

1. Soak the snow fungus until it swells, snip off the hard base, tear it into small florets and blanch it (飛水, a quick boil).
2. Peel and deseed the papaya and cut it into pieces, half ripe is best; rinse the sweet and bitter apricot kernels.
3. Melt the rock sugar in water to make a syrup.
4. Put everything in the double-boiling pot with the syrup, seal the pot and double-boil (隔水燉, set in a pan of simmering water) for 1 hour until the snow fungus turns gelatinous.
5. Good served hot or cold.

Who it suits

• yin depletion with dry lungs
• dry skin
• women wanting to soften their skin and look after their complexion

Who should take care

• Those with a weak cold digestion and loose stools should eat only a little
• People with diabetes should watch the sugar
• The papaya enzyme is debated for pregnancy; ripe papaya is generally considered acceptable [common practice]

Soup stories

The poor man's bird's nest. The gel that snow fungus gives up mimics the texture of bird's nest at pocket money prices. It is a fixture on the menu at both sweet soup shops and dessert houses.

From the same family

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.