Cloud-Ear and Red Date Braised Free-Range Chicken

Why people make this dish

Nourilo picked up some destemmed cloud-ear fungus at the dried-goods shop — small, plump after soaking, soft and tender, lovely whether steamed or braised. Cloud-ear is a kind of black wood-ear, traditionally valued for nourishing blood and qi and for being soothing; in food therapy people like to add wood-ear to soups and dishes regularly. Braised with free-range chicken and red dates, it makes a fresh, tasty homestyle dish that is traditionally enjoyed for nourishing blood and the complexion — and it’s friendly for young and old alike.