Snow Ear, Goji Berry, and Fig Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

Most of us spend far more time staring at screens than our eyes were designed for. Add in late nights, insufficient sleep, and little time to rest your gaze — and it is no surprise that dry, gritty, or watery eyes have become so common. In traditional Chinese food therapy, these symptoms are often linked to a concept called “yin deficiency with ascending fire,” where the body’s cooling, moistening reserves are depleted. This simple sweet soup uses three ingredients that are each considered moistening and nourishing in their own right. It is a pleasant dessert that can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature, and it takes less than an hour to make.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for the whole family, including young children and the elderly; those with yin deficiency (dry eyes, dry throat, mouth sores, constipation, tendency toward low-grade heat sensations) find it particularly helpful
• Cancer patients are specifically noted by Bro Niu as suitable for regular use
• People with diabetics should use less or no rock sugar
• Figs are generally considered safe; Bro Niu notes they are not known to trigger allergies, though their natural sugar content makes them unsuitable in large quantities for diabetics
• Do not cook a large batch and store it — cooked snow ear fungus produces harmful nitrite compounds when left in broth overnight; cook what you will eat that day
• If you have thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism or otherwise), this soup is fine

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Snow ear fungus (xue er): One of the most prized moistening foods in Chinese cuisine; associated with nourishing lung and stomach yin, supporting skin hydration, and gently lubricating the eyes and throat
• Goji berries (gou qi zi): Sweet and neutral; closely associated in traditional practice with supplementing liver and kidney essence, which in turn supports visual acuity and general vitality
• Dried figs (wu hua guo): Considered sweet and neutral to slightly cooling; associated with moistening the lungs, clearing mild heat, and soothing the throat

Ingredients (2–3 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Snow ear fungus, dried	3 qian (~11 g)	Soak until soft, remove stem, rinse well
Goji berries	4 qian (~15 g)	Rinse and soak briefly
Dried figs	4 pieces	Rinse and slice into thirds
Rock sugar	To taste	Add in last few minutes to dissolve

Method

1. Soak the dried snow ear fungus in cold water until fully soft and expanded (about 20–30 minutes). Trim away the tough yellow stem at the base. Break or tear the fungus into smaller florets and rinse well.
2. Rinse the goji berries and figs. Slice the figs.
3. Place the snow ear, goji berries, and figs together in a pot with 6 bowls of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 1 hour.
5. Add rock sugar to taste and stir until dissolved.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat the fungus and fruit as well as drinking the broth.

Bro Niu’s tips

This sweet soup is mild enough to have twice a week as a regular practice. It works for any time of day, including on an empty stomach in the morning. One important caution: snow ear, black wood ear, and cloud ear fungi should always be eaten freshly cooked on the day of preparation. Do not refrigerate and reheat the next day — cooked fungi left sitting in broth will form nitrosamines, which are harmful compounds. If you have any leftover broth, it is fine to store that separately; just be sure to take out the fungus pieces and eat them on the day. If you are in the habit of cooking in bulk, make this soup fresh each time.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Bobo): My 11-year-old daughter has already started her period and I’d like her to drink goji tea (about 20 berries) daily to protect her vision. Is that okay? Bro Niu: Goji tea is fine for her — about 20 berries is a reasonable amount. No need to drink it every single day though; 4 times a week is plenty. You can also give her fresh blueberries and corn-carrot-goji soup, which all support eye health in a more varied way.

• Q (Jan): Can I cook this the night before and have it for breakfast the next morning? Can it be stored in the fridge? Bro Niu: Actually, I need to warn you about this. Snow ear, black wood ear, and cloud ear fungi must not be stored in soup overnight — they will produce nitrite compounds that are carcinogenic. Cook only what you plan to eat that same day. If you must prepare ahead, keep the fungus and the soup broth separated, and reheat them together the next morning — but next time I would recommend cooking fresh. Also, eating plenty of vitamin C rich fruit like an orange afterward can help your body deal with any residual compounds.

• Q (maggie): My 56-year-old mother always has dry eyes, a dry throat, and difficulty swallowing, even though she drinks a lot of water. What food therapy can help? Bro Niu: Your mother sounds as though she has some yin deficiency. You could grind quality American ginseng (hua qi shen) and dendrobium (shi hu) into fine powder and have her take one teaspoon of each in warm water twice daily — this nourishes yin, boosts qi, and promotes fluid production. For her dry eyes and dry mouth, ginseng and goji berry tea brewed together every day is also very helpful.

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Published August 27, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.