Dried Persimmon and Fresh Lily Bulb Sweet Soup

Why people make this sweet soup

In Cantonese food therapy, fresh persimmons are generally considered rather cooling and a little astringent — something most grandmothers will tell you to eat carefully. The dried form, however, is a different story. Dried persimmon cake (shi bing) goes through a transformation that makes it gentler and more nourishing. It is traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, helping the heart and blood vessels, and supporting the body in times of dry, persistent coughs or throat discomfort. Pairing it with fresh lily bulb — which is prized for its calm, slightly cooling, lung-moistening qualities — makes a simple sweet soup that Bro Niu recommends for anyone dealing with a cough that just won’t fully go away, a scratchy throat, or little mouth sores brought on by dryness.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits those with a dry, lingering cough, throat irritation, or mouth sores from dryness; also traditionally considered beneficial for high blood pressure, chronic bronchitis, and general cardiovascular wellness
• People with diabetes should use rock sugar very sparingly
• Those with a very cold constitution should eat this dish in moderation, as both persimmon and lily bulb are gently cooling in nature

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Dried persimmon (shi bing): The dried form of persimmon is considered to have a calmer nature than the fresh fruit; traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, relieving cough, and supporting cardiovascular health; the white powder on the surface (called shi shuang) is considered the most medicinally valuable part for soothing a cough and resolving phlegm — do not scrub it off
• Fresh lily bulb (xian bai he): A well-known lung-moistening food in Chinese food therapy; gently cools the lungs and helps calm a dry, irritated throat; also used to support emotional steadiness and sleep quality
• Rock sugar (bing tang): Mildly sweet and considered gentler on digestion than white sugar; helps balance the slightly astringent notes of the persimmon

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dried persimmon cake (shi bing)	2 pieces	Choose darker-coloured ones; the white frost is prized
Fresh lily bulb (xian bai he)	2 bulbs	Peel apart the segments and rinse well
Rock sugar	to taste	Add at the end
Water	4 bowls (approx. 800 mL)

Method

1. Remove the stem end of the dried persimmons and cut them into rough chunks.
2. Peel the fresh lily bulb segments apart and rinse them clean.
3. Place the persimmon pieces and lily bulb in a pot with 4 bowls of water.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the persimmon is soft and the broth is fragrant.
5. Add rock sugar to taste and stir until dissolved. Serve warm, eating both the broth and the ingredients.

Bro Niu’s tips

Choose dried persimmons that are darker in colour — they tend to be more mature and aromatic. The white powdery coating on the outside is the best part for soothing coughs; a quick rinse won’t wash it off, but do rinse briefly to clean away any handling residue. For a good cooking pot, Bro Niu prefers clay, ceramic, or glass pots over stainless steel or non-stick aluminium, especially for recipes with acidic or astringent ingredients.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Cc): My baby is 9 months old. She coughs at night when sleeping. Can she have this sweet soup? She has had lily before without any allergy but has not tried persimmon yet. Bro Niu: She can have this soup for a night cough. Persimmon cake generally does not cause allergies. You can also try pressing a steamed onion — steam a whole peeled and sliced onion over high heat for 30 minutes, then press out about 3 tablespoons of juice for her to drink. That also helps with a cough.

• Q (Lily): Should I rinse the persimmon cake under water before cooking? I thought you said the white powder is the best part for coughs. Bro Niu: A quick rinse won’t wash the white frost away — it just changes the visible colour a little. The frost stays.

• Q (reader, for a grandson aged 3): He often gets nosebleeds, especially after waking up, and coughs a lot at night with lots of phlegm. He has no cold symptoms. What should I give him? Bro Niu: For nosebleeds in young children (whose nasal membranes are very thin), try a drink of imperata root (mao gen) one bundle, fresh lotus root knot 3 pieces, and water chestnut 6 pieces, boiled in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. For the phlegmy cough, a congee of walnut meat 1 liang, white ginkgo kernels 6 pieces (core removed), and northern apricot kernel 3 qian is helpful for building up the lungs, spleen, and kidneys. For a night-time cough, try perilla leaf (zi su ye) 3 qian, northern apricot kernel 3 qian, fresh ginger 3 slices, and a little brown sugar in 3 bowls of water, simmered 15 minutes.

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Published March 20, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.