TCM recipe: Snow Fungus & Pear Soup for Energy, Lung health, and Skin

If you grew up in a Chinese or Vietnamese household, or have spent time in Southeast Asia, you probably know Snow Fungus and Pear Soup (Suet Yi Tong in Cantonese and Chè nấm tuyết in vietnamese). In Vietnam, we often categorize foods like this as mát—cooling, hydrating, and refreshing for the body. Across Asia, it is famous as everyday skincare drink because snow fungus is packed with natural plant collagen that hydrates the skin from the inside out.

Traditionally, this sweet soup is made with just a few pantry staples: dried snow fungus, Asian pears, red dates, goji berries, and a bit of rock sugar.

But as an acupuncturist I like upgrading this recipe and add on a few interesting Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs to it. But try with caution: they do alter the original taste and make it a bit more earthy and medicinal.

The functional TCM herbs turns the classic dessert into a targeted formula for autumn and winter.

A TCM recipe For Autumn

If you grew up in a Chinese or Vietnamese household, or have spent time in Southeast Asia, you probably know Snow Fungus and Pear Soup (Suet Yi Tong in Cantonese and Chè nấm tuyết in Vietnamese). In Vietnam, we often categorise foods like this as mát—cooling, hydrating, and refreshing for the body. Across Asia, it is famous as everyday skincare drink because snow fungus is packed with natural plant collagen that hydrates the skin from the inside out.

Traditionally, this sweet soup is made with just a few pantry staples: dried snow fungus, Asian pears, red dates, goji berries, and a bit of rock sugar.

But as an acupuncturist I like upgrading this recipe and add on a few interesting Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs to it. But try with caution: they do alter the original taste and make it a bit more earthy and medicinal.

The functional TCM herbs turns the classic dessert into a targeted formula for autumn and winter.

A TCM recipe For Autumn

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we rarely look at a single symptom in isolation. Instead, we look for patterns.

I originally put this adapted blend together for a specific combination of symptoms that I sometimes see in the clinic during the colder months: Lung and Spleen Qi Deficiency combined with Blood Deficiency and lingering Wind-Heat. PS: I wrote an instagram post about why I really made this recipe.

What does that actually look like in daily life?

• Low daytime energy: You might sleep completely fine through the night, yet still wake up feeling tired or heavy.

• Sensitive airways: A tendency toward asthma, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.

• Hormonal dips: PMS, fatigue, feeling like an emotional rollercoaster and painful menstruation.

• Dry, reactive skin: Eczema, dry patches, or itchy skin that flares up when the weather changes or stress hits.

Why These Specific Herbs Work Together

Instead of the original Snow fungus pear soup to just moistening the Lungs, this version borrows principles from classic Blood- and Qi-tonifying formulas like Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (Decoction to Tonify the Blood) and Ba Zhen Tang—combining them with the pantry ingredients for the Snow Pear soup recipe.

The TCM Herbs

• Huang Qi (Astragalus Root) & Dang Shen (Codonopsis Root): These two are the ultimate duo for building Spleen and Lung Qi. Huang Qi strengthens your Wei Qi (your immune shield and respiratory tract), while Dang Shen gently restores digestive energy without being as heavy or overwhelming as regular ginseng.

• Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis): Known as the ultimate herb for gynecological health in TCM. Together with Huang Qi, it builds and moves the Blood, easing menstrual cramps, PMS, and nourishing dry skin (in TCM, dry skin and eczema are often linked to Blood not properly moisturizing the exterior).

• Da Zao (Jujube / Red Dates) & Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berries): The natural sweeteners of the TCM pantry. They nourish the Blood and Yin, calm the spirit, and harmonize the stronger roots so the soup tastes delicious.

The TCM Pantry ingredients

• Snow Fungus (Yin Er / Tremella): Directly nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin. It builds body fluids, soothes dry airways, and hydrates the skin.

• Fox Nuts (Qian Shi): Often used in Southeast asian soups, fox nuts strengthen the Spleen and Kidneys. When you cook sweet, moisturizing soups, adding them ensures the richness doesn’t overwhelm a sensitive digestion.

• Asian Pear (or Conference Pear): Clears heat, moistens the Lungs, and gives the broth a light, fruity base.

Recipe: Herbal Snow Fungus & Pear Soup

Adapted from classic with the help of my mom. 

Prep time: 20-30 mins (soaking) | Cook time: 1 hour | Servings: 6 bowls

Ingredients

• 1 big whole dried snow fungus (or 2 small ones)

• 2 pears firm pears work, but the original is with Nashi Pear, peel them, remove core and cut into large chunks 

• 2 tbsp dried fox nuts, rinsed

• 3–6 dried red dates (Da Zao), pitted or sliced open

• 2 tbsp goji berries (Gou Qi Zi), rinsed

• 1,5 liter water

• 1-3 tbs Honey

• Optional: A small piece of yellow rock sugar to taste 

Optional TCM herbs (use with caution)

• 10 g Huang Qi

• 10 g Dang Shen

• 6-9 g Dang Gui (1 piece)

Instructions

1. Soak the snow fungus and fox nuts: Place the dried snow fungus in a large bowl of lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes until it expands and turns soft and translucent. Rinse the fox nuts and soak them in a separate small bowl of warm water for 20 minutes.

2. Prepare the snow fungus: Drain the snow fungus. Flip it over and cut off the hard, yellow core at the bottom. Tear the soft ruffled parts into small, bite-sized pieces. The smaller you tear them, the faster they release their natural collagen into the broth.

3. Start the herbal soup base: In a medium pan with lid, add the 1,5-2 liters of water, the snow fungus, fox nuts, red dates, and additional Huang Qi, Dang Shen, and Dang Gui.

4. Simmer medium low: Bring the pot to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to low. Cover with a lid and let it gently simmer for 30 minutes. The broth will start to thicken slightly and smell warm and earthy.

5. Add the pears: Add the chopped pears into the pot. Simmer covered for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the pears are tender and translucent and the snow fungus feels silky and soft.

6. Finish with goji berries: Stir in the goji berries (and a little rock sugar if you like it sweeter) during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

7. Serve: Remove the Huang Qi, Dang Shen and Dang Gui before serving. You can eat everything else in the bowl—the pears, snow fungus, dates, goji berries, and fox nuts. Enjoy it warm, or store it in glass jars in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat before drinking.

A Quick Clinical Note

Because this recipe includes active herbs like Dang Gui and Huang Qi, it is best enjoyed as a tonic during the follicular or luteal phase (especially the week after your period or leading up to it). Skip the herbs if you currently have an acute fever, a heavy cold with yellow phlegm, or during the heaviest days of your period.

Need more inspiration for good health this season?

Food therapy is one of the best ways to support your body at home, especially when combined with acupuncture. Whether you are dealing with low energy, hormonal shifts, eczema, or seasonal asthma, we can look at what your specific system needs right now in the clinic.

Warm regards an see you soon in the clinic.

— Kim