Yellow Ear Fungus and Red Date Rice Porridge

Why people make this porridge

In Cantonese vegetarian cooking, there is a traditional shorthand for the most prized fungal ingredients: “three mushrooms, six ears” — three types of mushroom and six types of edible fungus. Among the six ears, yellow ear (huang er, also called golden ear or jin er) is considered the most precious, having the thickest flesh and the highest concentration of natural plant gelatin. When cooked, it has a distinctive bouncy, silky texture — firm yet smooth — quite unlike the more familiar snow fungus (bai mu er).

In food therapy, this plant gelatin is associated with deeply moistening the skin, supporting the body’s natural collagen matrix, and — taken regularly — contributing to a complexion that stays firm and radiant. Paired with red dates for blood nourishment and rice to anchor the porridge and make it filling, this simple bowl has been a Cantonese beauty kitchen staple for generations.

Method

1. Soak the yellow ear fungus in cold water for 20–30 minutes (or longer if needed) until fully softened and expanded. Remove the tough stem at the base and rinse gently.
2. Wash the white rice; pit the red dates.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with enough water to make a porridge (approximately 1.8–2.4 L of water for a soft congee consistency).
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very soft and the fungus is tender and silky.
5. Serve in bowls; eat freely as desired.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Yellow ear quality varies. The best-grade dried yellow ear is pure golden in colour with minimal impurities; when soaked it expands to about 10 times its dried weight. Lower-grade yellow ear expands to around 7 times and may release some dark water — rinse it a few extra times if this happens. As long as there is no mould or unusual smell, it is still fine to use.
• Brown rice or millet can be substituted for white rice with good results.
• This porridge is also suitable for people with high blood pressure and for cancer patients in recovery.