Almond Milk, Snow Fungus, and Papaya Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

Late nights at work, irregular sleep, long hours in front of screens — over time, this kind of lifestyle tends to make itself visible on the skin. The complexion becomes dull and dry, fine lines appear earlier than expected, and some people notice breakouts related to internal heat and hormonal imbalance. In traditional Chinese food therapy, this pattern is often described as “liver blood deficiency with internal heat.” This sweet soup is Nourilo’s approachable answer: almond milk for the lungs, snow fungus for deep yin nourishment, and ripe papaya for natural sweetness and skin-nourishing enzymes. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and tastes genuinely wonderful — more like a dessert than a medicinal drink.

Method

1. Soak the dried snow fungus in cold water until fully expanded and soft (30–60 minutes). Remove the tough yellow stem at the base and cut or tear into smaller florets.
2. Mix the almond powder with 2 tablespoons of hot water, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
3. Peel the ripe papaya, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into chunks.
4. Bring 1.5 L of water to a boil in a pot. Add the papaya chunks and snow fungus.
5. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
6. Pour in the dissolved almond water and add rock sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature. Both the snow fungus and papaya are delicious eaten as part of the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

• The difference between green and ripe papaya matters here: green papaya (often used in Cantonese savoury soups and believed to support digestion and stomach lining) is not interchangeable with ripe papaya in this sweet soup — ripe papaya is what gives this dessert its nourishing, skin-supporting qualities.
• Papaya seeds are associated with mild uterine contraction — remove them completely before cooking, and pregnant women should avoid this soup entirely.