Since I missed the taste of Xiao Diao Li Tang (a type of Chinese pear soup) so much and couldn’t find it in Germany, I decided to make it myself! This version uses Williams pears instead of traditional Chinese pears and incorporates honey and artificial sweeteners for a richer, subtly sweet flavor.

Ingredients #

1. 30g dried snow fungus (银耳)
2. 5 Williams pears (peeled, cored, and sliced)
3. 500ml water
4. Honey and artificial sweetener to taste
5. Optional: 5-6 red dates, a handful of goji berries

Instructions #

1. Prepare the Snow Fungus (1) Soak the dried snow fungus in warm water for 30 minutes until it softens and expands. (2) Remove the hard stems and tear the fungus into smaller pieces.

2. Cooking the Soup (1) Add 500ml of water to a pot and bring it to a boil. (2) Add the soaked snow fungus and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 4 hours until the fungus becomes soft and releases its gelatinous texture. (3) Add the sliced Williams pears and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. (4) Add honey and artificial sweetener to taste, and adjust the sweetness to your preference.

3. Optional Ingredients (1) If using red dates, add them at the beginning of cooking with the snow fungus. (2) If using goji berries, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking for added color and flavor.

4. Serving You can enjoy this soup warm as a nourishing dessert, or chill it for a refreshing treat in the summer.

Tips #

1. Williams pears are not as sweet as Chinese pears, so you may need to adjust the sweetness with honey and artificial sweetener according to your preference.
2. Simmering the snow fungus for a long time helps release its gel-like texture, making the soup smoother.
3. Since this recipe doesn’t use rock sugar, you can control the sweetness by adjusting the amount of honey and artificial sweetener.

#learning to cook

Last modified on 2025-01-17