If you’re looking for a Chinese dessert that’s relatively easy to make, this is the one for you. All you’ll need is one pot and you can serve it as is, chilled for those warm balmy nights or steamed if you want the pear to be softer.
We try out the recipe for ourselves here:
Ingredients
- 1 piece dried white fungus
- 2 tbsps sweet almonds
- 2 tbsps bitter almonds
- 1 L water
- 6 red dates
- 2-3 pcs rock sugar or soft brown sugar
- 2 large gong pear
- 8-10 dried longans
Steps
Soak white fungus until it plumps up. Tear it into smaller pieces.
Wash both types of almond and set aside.
Bring water to a boil, put in white fungus, almonds and dates. Cook it for ½ hour. Add rock sugar and cook until sugar dissolves.
Cut off the top part of the gong pear by half inch. Use a spoon to dig out the centre of the pear leaving 0.5 inch around the side and the bottom of the pear.
Divide the cooked white fungus mixture between the two gong pears. Fill each pear to ¾ full. Put in dried longans and some of the flesh from the pear.
Steam pears over simmering water for 25 to 30 mins or until the pears are just tender. Cover the pan.
Serve them either warm or cold.
Photo: Robin Yong / Styling & Recipe: Cindy Koo