The first time I tried xue er tang I couldn’t decide whether I liked it or not. It was a confusing experience: a sweet soup made from mushrooms and seeds with with a gloopy mouthfeel. But after I overcame my surprise, I grew to love the subtly of it. It is definitely not like a Western desert with sugar and sweetness as the primary feature. Like so many Chinese dishes, it’s as much about the texture as it is the flavour After a long simmer, the snow fungus (银耳) turns soft, the liquid becomes thick and by the end the soup is silky and the fungus slippery but with a gelatinous crunch. The snow fungus benefits from a slow, gentle heat; if you’re impatient, it will still be too rubbery. You’ll know it’s ready when the fungus becomes completely translucent in the pot.

Snow fungus prefers to grow in the forests of the humid South but it has been a dried ingredient all across China for thousands of years. It’s easy to find the dried version in Chinese supermarkets, but nothing looks or feels like a fresh snow fungus: soft and frilly to the touch and surprisingly heavy, with a  pale yellow glow and bright orange core once you slice it in half.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) relies on snow fungus, particularly in the North, to ‘moisturise’ the body. Northern winters are extremely dry - some seasons go six months without a drop of rain or snow. Snow fungus is the perfect antidote. As the temperature drops around November, this soup often makes an appearance in Northern cities. Combining snow fungus with Asian pear is a common concoction that helps cure a dry cough or dry throat, as well as ‘nourishing’ the lungs.

This is, then, part medicine, part food. Every ingredient in the soup is important in TCM. Alongside the snow fungus and the Asian pear, goji berries boost immunity, and lotus seeds improve sleep and help to calm the mind. It’s a subtle, soothing dessert that will keep colds at bay and see you through many a chilly winter evening.

Serves 3-4