Dried Persimmon and Black Wood Ear Fungus Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

Hemorrhoids are far more common than most people admit — and they are not actually sores or wounds. They are swollen, dilated veins in the rectal area that can cause bleeding, discomfort, a feeling of fullness, or prolapse. Traditional Chinese medicine classifies them into types, and this soup is suited to what is called the “damp-heat and blood stagnation” type — the kind that tends to come with early-stage hemorrhoid flare-ups, a sense of irritation or heat around the anal area, some bleeding or mucus, and sometimes a bitter taste in the mouth. This soup uses dried persimmon to cool and moisten the intestines, and black wood ear fungus for its traditional blood-vitalising properties. Nourilo stumbled upon some wild rock ear fungus (a close relative of black wood ear), and this recipe was born from combining it with persimmon and brown sugar — a gentle, tasty, and accessible home remedy.

Method

1. Cut the dried persimmon into chunks; the white powder (persimmon frost) on the surface is beneficial and does not need to be scrubbed off — a light rinse is sufficient.
2. Soak the black wood ear fungus until soft; remove the tough root base and tear into pieces.
3. Combine persimmon and wood ear fungus in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 hour until reduced to 600 ml.
5. Add brown sugar to taste, stir to dissolve. Drink the soup and eat the solids.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is also associated with supporting cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of intestinal inflammation — the benefits extend beyond hemorrhoids. Choose dried persimmon that is round, heavy, and has a good layer of white frost for best quality. If you cannot find dried persimmon, 4–5 dried figs (wu hua guo) make a reasonable substitute and are also bowel-lubricating. Black wood ear fungus is generally considered safe and not overly cooling — it can be used regularly. For rectal bleeding, a separate soup of sophora japonica flower buds (huai hua, 11 g), dried mussels (dan cai, 75 g), and figs (4 pieces) simmered with lean pork is traditionally associated with stopping rectal bleeding; it complements this recipe well.