Mini Coconut, Snow Fungus and Lily Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

After a long day, there is something genuinely restorative about a soup that smells beautiful from the moment it starts to simmer. Mini coconuts have a naturally sweet, milky fragrance that fills the kitchen as they cook, and in traditional Chinese food therapy they are valued for their cooling and lung-nourishing properties. Combined with snow fungus — which is rich in natural plant-based collagens traditionally associated with supporting skin texture — and lily bulb, which has a calming, slightly sweet character that soothes the mind as well as the body, this chicken soup is the kind of preparation Cantonese grandmothers have been making for generations. The free-range chicken (ideally hormone-free) keeps the soup light and the flavor clean, while the ginger and red dates give warmth and balance. This is a natural choice for a festive family meal, a beauty soup for skin wellness, or simply a treat for yourself at the end of a busy week.

Method

1. Rinse the mini coconut and cut into chunks.
2. Soak the snow fungus in water until fully soft; remove the tough base and tear into smaller pieces.
3. Rinse the lily bulb pieces.
4. Pit the red dates.
5. Chop the chicken into large pieces and blanch in boiling water to remove blood and impurities. Rinse and drain.
6. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.7 L of cold water.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to about 1.2 L.
8. Serve warm with the soup ingredients on the side to eat.

Nourilo’s Tips

Mini coconuts have a wonderfully rich fragrance and work beautifully in both soups and sweet dessert preparations. One thing to watch: they can go mouldy quickly if stored improperly, so buy them fresh from a trusted stall and use them promptly. When you use free-range chicken for this soup, the flavor is clean and the soup naturally lighter than with farmed chicken — and there is no need for skin-on pieces, which can be fattier.