White Dew · Tea break · Blood Stasis
Wood-ear fungus, red date & ginger sweet soup
Silky wood-ear fungus with red dates and old ginger, lightly sweetened with brown sugar — a warming sip for cold hands.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Boil
- Easy
WarmingWarms & moves bloodNourishes blood
Why it suits you: Blood Stasis means feeling the cold, often with cold hands and feet, and cooler White Dew mornings call for warmth. Wood-ear helps blood flow smoothly, ginger warms the channels and red dates nourish blood — a warm drink that keeps blood moving, no iced drinks needed.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min- 1Soak the wood-ear in warm water for 20–30 minutes until swollen, trim off the hard base, rinse and tear into small pieces.
- 2Halve the red dates; slice the ginger, skin on.
- 3Bring the water to the boil, add the wood-ear, dates and ginger, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until the fungus is soft and silky.
- 4Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Drink warm and eat the fungus — or pour into a flask for the office.
Cautions
- On blood thinners such as warfarin, or have a bleeding disorder? Check with your doctor first, and skip it during a heavy period.
Chef's tips
- Soak wood-ear for 20–30 minutes only — never overnight — and cook soaked fungus the same day.
The TCM view
Wood-ear fungus is sweet and neutral; it supports qi and blood and helps blood flow smoothly. Red dates are sweet and warm and nourish blood; old ginger is pungent and warm and warms the channels; brown sugar is sweet and warm and gently moves blood. Warming and moving, nourishing without clogging.
