Snow Pear and Dragon’s Eye Sweet Dessert Soup

Snow Pear and Dragon’s Eye Sweet Dessert Soup

Snow Pear and Dragon’s Eye Sweet Dessert Soup

Soup Name:

Snow Pear and Dragon’s Eye Sweet Dessert Soup

One day, in the thick of a winter evening, when all the children lay sleeping, I suddenly had this urge for something sweet, crunchy and hot.  No panic.  Taking a peek in the fridge, I found one giant snow pear staring at me. Perfect. This is how simple this dessert soup is and a majority of the other ingredients are primarily pantry items with a billion years shelf-life.  I personally love food with layers of texture and flavour and after twenty minutes, I was in bliss.

What’s involved?

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4 bowls

Ingredients

  • 1 giant fresh snow pear (preferably the type with dark brown / orange skin), chunked
  • 1 tablespoon of dried longans (or dried dragon eyes)
  • 1 tablespoon of dried wolfberries
  • 1 1-inch diameter chunk of golden rock sugar
  • 1.5 L of water

Cooking Instructions

  1. Boil you soup water
  2. Cut up the snow pear into edible bite-sizes
  3. When the water boils, throw all the ingredients together
  4. Boil on high heat for 15 minutes
  5. Serve and enjoy hot!

The ingredients for the soup are:  1 large snow pear (preferably the sweeter kind with a thick, orange-brown skin), some dried longans (or dragon eyes), dried wolfberries, and rock sugar (adjusted to exactly the way you want).  I tend to use less sweet versions, so adjust accordingly!

The great thing about these massive Korean snow pears is that they produce a lot of fruit flesh.  Look at the giant mound of fruit!

The ingredients for the soup are:  1 large snow pear (preferably the sweeter kind with a thick, orange-brown skin), some dried longans (or dragon eyes), dried wolfberries, and rock sugar (adjusted to exactly the way you want).  I tend to use less sweet versions, so adjust accordingly!

The great thing about these massive Korean snow pears is that they produce a lot of fruit flesh.  Look at the giant mound of fruit!

 Boil on high heat for 15 minutes (or to the desired crunchiness of your snow pears) and adjust the sweetness as well. I prefer it less sweet, but depends on your sweet tooth.

Serve piping hot and enjoy!

EQUIPMENT USED

To answer your questions on what equipment I'm using, I've built a section here where you can find and explore what I'm using to make soups.  Ingredients are a little harder, but I will do my best as I source them around.  However, you can always message me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook, and I will reply and try to point you in some direction!  

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A MUST HAVE in the kitchen!  Energy saving, cost effective, and perfect for busy chefs!  Check out my article here that explains it.

Another MUST HAVE in the kitchen for soups!  It's so fine that it will scoop off the top oil and foam layer when using meats in your soup!

I use these types of stove top safe tea pots to make most of my herbal teas!

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To answer your questions on what equipment I'm using, I've built a section here where you can find and explore what I'm using to make soups.  Ingredients are a little harder, but I will do my best as I source them around.  However, you can always message me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook, and I will reply and try to point you in some direction!  

A great help for fish or small bones in soups, including small ingredients such as barley, fox nuts, spices just to keep everything together.

A MUST HAVE in the kitchen!  Energy saving, cost effective, and perfect for busy chefs!  Check out my article here that explains it.

Another MUST HAVE in the kitchen for soups!  It's so fine that it will scoop off the top oil and foam layer when using meats in your soup!

I use these types of stove top safe tea pots to make most of my herbal teas!

Snow Pears (Dried)

Snow Pears (Dried)

Ingredient Name: Snow Pears or Pyrus Nivalis (dried)

Chinese Name: 雪梨幹 (xuě lí gàn) or 梨干 (lí gàn)

This is a great natural additive to any soup or drink, although it is more commonly used in drinks rather than soups.  You can do a combination of dried or fresh snow pears in both soups and drinks and this is almost a great staple to have “just in case” you feel like making a soup but the stores are closed or it’s a typhoon or snow storm.  And of course, no one is to stop you from eating it if you’re in dire hunger.

What is this?
  • An edible fruit grown from pear trees
  • It is usually round and found to grow well in cooler temperatures
  • The snow pear is often firm in handling and is often associated with being on the more sour and tangy side of taste
  • Snow pears are known to be a “cooling” fruit
  • It is often dried with the skin and seeds and dried in disks the size of diameter of the pear

How do I prepare it?

  • Wash the dried snow pears in warm running water
  • Use directly in soups and drinks

Where can I buy this?

  • Commonly found in wet marts in Hong Kong from the herbalist or dried food vendor
  • It is sometimes available in packages in supermarkets (although more as a snack than as an additive to soups or drinks)

What is the cost?

  • Dried snow pears are very affordable costing around $1-2 HKD for 2-3 slices

Any benefits?

  • Pears have 0 fat and provide a healthy intake of natural sugars
  • Pears are also packed with Vitamin A, C and E1
  • They contain excellent amounts of copper and potassium and are packed with carbohydrates
  • Pears also are the least allergenic of all fruits and is often found as a first foods for babies
  • They are said to assist with the lower of cholesterol and high blood pressure
  • Pears are excellent laxatives due to their high fiber content

Any precautions?

  • Pears, especially Snow Pears, are known to be a “cooling” food
  • Women who are pregnant or menstruating should take caution when consuming Snow Pears

Any substitutes?

  • “Crystal” pears can also be substituted for Snow Pears in soups
  • Apples are also an ideal substitute

Additional Information?

  • Dried Snow Pears store very well in a sealed container
  • They can be kept in refrigeration for up to 3 months

Snow Pear with Pork Lung Soup

 
Soup Name:  Snow Pear with Pork Lung Soup
 
Traditional Chinese Name: 雪梨豬肺 (xuě lí zhū fèi tāng)
 
Introduction:

This soup is ideal in dispelling heatiness from the body and nourishing the lungs.  It is particularly good for the dry autumn season as it brings moisture back to the body and aids in cough and sore throat.

What Ingredients are required?

1 set of pork lung
30 g of cogon grass (mao gen)
4 honey dates
4 slices of fresh ginger
2-3 fresh snow pears 
1 tablespoon of apricot kernals
1 piece of dried tangerine peel
2-3 L of water

How do I prepare it?

  1. Begin boiling your soup water
  2. Boil a separate pot to blanch cogon grass
  3. Prep your pork lungs (see instructions)
  4. Soak in warm water the apricot kernals, dried dates and cleaned tangerine peel
  5. Wash and cut snow pears
  6. Blanch cogon grass in boiling water
  7. When soup water boils, add all ingredients together (including prepared pork lungs)
  8. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 3 hours.
  9. Serve and enjoy!

Any benefits?

  • Ideal soup for nourishing body and lungs
  • Bring moisture back to body
  • Helps reduce heatiness in body
  • Aids in cough and sore throat

Any precautions?

  • Ensure to thoroughly clean and cook pork lungs (to avoid a stale soup taste)
Snow Pears

Snow Pears

Snow Pears

Ingredient Name:

Snow Pears or Pyrus Nivalis

Traditional Chinese Name:

雪梨 (xuě lí)

 

I love snow pears.  This is the edible fruit from the snow pear tree and this fruit is juicy, has high water content, slightly sweet, very crunchy, and has a light, lively flavour to it.  

They grow round, like soft balls, and have a very hard, rough exterior and an even crunchier interior.   You’ll find this type of tree or fruit in cooler climates.

Snow pears tend to be more cooling, or helps relieve heat from the body.  You can find this ingredient both in a dried and fresh version for soups and Chinese desserts. 

Some nice substitutes if you can’t find snow pears are crystal pears (bigger and crunchier and have a more transparent flesh), or apples.  Apples are also a yummy substitute for your dessert or soup.  You’ll sometimes find a combination of apples and snow pears as well.

Where can I buy it and cost?

      • In most asian supermarkets, this fruit tends to be in season all year round

      • Western supermarkets will also sometimes carry this fruit
      • Be sure to buy snow pears that are firm and blemish free (if the fruit is soft and mushy, it’s likely already going bad)
      • Snow pears are relatively affordable at $3-5 HKD / pear

How do I prepare it?

      • Wash the snow pears in warm running water
      • Halve the snow pear and core
      • Use halves for soups as the pears sometimes disintegrate if they are too small
      • I will also remove all the seeds and stems from the pear
      • I also keep the skin on, although this part sometimes tends to be slightly sour, but it helps keep the pear together in the soup or dessert and prevents it from melting into the hot water

What are the benefits?

      • Pears have 0 fat and provide a healthy intake of natural sugars

      • Pears are excellent laxatives due to their high fiber content
      • They are said to assist with the lower of cholesterol and high blood pressure
      • Pears also are the least allergenic of all fruits and is often found as a first foods for babies
      • They contain excellent amounts of copper and potassium and are packed with carbohydrates
      • Pears are also packed with Vitamin A, C and E1

What are the precautions?

      • Pears, especially Snow Pears, are known to be a “cooling” food
      • Women who are pregnant or menstruating should take caution when consuming Snow Pears

 

You can find references here:

 

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