Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Coconut Snow Fungus Chicken Soup
椰子雪耳雞湯
Recipe overview
Coconut Snow Fungus Chicken Soup is a sweet, light, and soothing Hong Kong family soup. Coconut gives natural sweetness, snow fungus becomes soft, and chicken pieces make the broth more fragrant. It is suitable for children and elderly family members, and helps helpers learn how to handle chicken pieces, soak snow fungus, and keep a clear soup. The key is to blanch the chicken first, add snow fungus later so it does not dissolve completely, and keep the soup clear and not oily.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500g chicken pieces
- 1 coconut or 250g coconut meat Meat from
- 300ml coconut water, optional
- 1 small dried snow fungus
- 4 dried figs
- 1 tablespoon apricot kernels
- 1 honey date
- 2 slices ginger
- 1500ml water
- A little salt
Seasoning
- 1/3 teaspoon salt, or adjust to family taste
02
Tools
- Small pot
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Soup ladle
- Bowls
- Slotted spoon
- Measuring cup
- Scissors
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare ingredients
Prepare chicken pieces, coconut meat, snow fungus, figs, apricot kernels, honey date, and ginger. Keep all ingredients clean for a clear sweet soup.
Step 2
Soak snow fungus
Soak dried snow fungus until soft, cut away the hard base, then cut into small florets. Rinse well to remove impurities.
Step 3
Rinse dried ingredients
Rinse figs, apricot kernels, and honey date, soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Do not put dried ingredients directly into the pot.
Step 4
Prepare chicken pieces
Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. If they are too large, cut them into medium pieces.
Step 5
Blanch chicken
Boil water in a small pot. Add chicken and ginger slices, blanch for 3 minutes, and release blood and scum.
Step 6
Rinse chicken
Remove chicken and rinse away surface scum. This keeps the soup clearer and less oily.
Step 7
Cut coconut meat
Rinse coconut meat and cut into thick strips or large pieces. Do not cut too small so they are easy to pick up after simmering.
Step 8
Add water and soup base
Add water, coconut water, chicken, ginger, figs, apricot kernels, and honey date into the soup pot.
Step 9
Simmer chicken soup base
Bring to a boil, then turn to medium-low heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Skim foam or oil if needed.
Step 10
Add coconut and snow fungus
Add coconut meat and snow fungus, then simmer over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes. Snow fungus does not need to dissolve completely.
Step 11
Season and taste
Before turning off the heat, add a little salt and taste first. Coconut is naturally sweet, so no sugar or chicken powder is needed.
Step 12
Serve soup
Ladle into bowls with snow fungus, coconut meat, and chicken pieces. The soup should be clear, lightly sweet, and not oily.
Common mistakes
- Skipping chicken blanching makes the soup cloudy and oily.
- Not cutting away the hard snow fungus base leaves a tough texture.
- Adding snow fungus too early makes it over-soft or dissolved.
- Cutting coconut meat too small makes it hard to pick up.
- Too much salt covers the natural coconut sweetness.
- Adding chicken powder or sugar removes the natural clean flavour.
Tips
The focus is a sweet, clear, non-oily soup. Blanch chicken first and skim oil during simmering. Add snow fungus later so it stays soft but still visible. Taste before serving and let Ma'am or Sir decide whether more salt is needed.
