Recipe: Tremella Soup with Lily Bulb, Lotus, Goji, and Red Dates to Calm the Nerves and Ease Stress

Dessert soups are all the rage in Asia. Unlike desserts in the West, however, they are only mildly sweet and are known for their wonderful health benefits. This particular soup is one of our favorite comfort foods - an anti-aging, beauty booster and stress-busting sweet soup that is perfect for when you are feeling the need to relax your nerves.

Ingredients:

For one serving - (multiply recipe for a higher number of servings)

• Dried Tremella 10g  (Moistens and repairs Lungs, boosts brain health, tonifies yin, calms spirit) 
• Dried Lily Bulb 10g (Nourishes and moistens the Lungs, soothes restlessness and irritability, clears heat, promotes good sleep)
• Dried White Lotus Seed 20g (Nourishes Spleen Qi and replenishes Kidney Qi, nourishes the Heart and calms anxious spirit)
• Dried Goji - a small handful (Tonifies Liver and Kidney Yin and Liver Blood, replenishes Kidney Jing - supports adrenals)
• Dried Chinese Red Dates - 3 pieces (Nourishes Spleen and Stomach Qi, Nourishes the Blood, Calms the Spirit, boosts recovery from fatigue, insomnia)
• Rock sugar, Stevia or Monkfruit to taste
• Filtered or Spring Water 2.5 cups

Directions:

Soak Tremella in water for 20 - 30 minutes, cut or tear it into small pieces, rinse it well, and drain. Wash the lotus seeds, lily bulbs, in a small strainer and drain.  Add 2 cups of filtered or spring water, soak Tremella, lotus seeds and lily bulbs in it for at least 2 hours or overnight (if overnight, put in the refrigerator).

Transfer the Tremella, lotus seeds and lily bulbs with the water into a small or medium sized pot. Add the Chinese red dates.

Bring to a boil, simmer for 1-2 hours, or until the Tremella turns soft in the water and the soup is thick. Rinse and add the goji berries and rock sugar (optional) at the end, cooking for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Options:

You may add ginseng (10g) and astragalus (10g) to the recipe.

Or you may add chicken (200g) to the recipe and replace rock sugar with salt.