Sweet Chinese-style soup made with snow fungus, dried longan, black dates, red dates, lotus seeds, goji berries and sweetened with rock sugar is often served as light dessert at the end of the meal.
Prepare red dates, black dates, snow fungus, and lotus seeds:
Rinse the red dates, black dates, lotus seeds, dried longan, and goji berries with clean water before using
Soak red dates and black dates in warm water for 5 minutes and then use small knife to make a slit and remove pits in the middle
Use a small knife to pry open the lotus seeds and remove the black seed in the middle. Soak the seeds in hot boiling water while you prepare other things. There's no need to soak lotus seeds overnight
Soak the dried snow fungus in warm water until soft and plump. Discard water and use kitchen shears to cut snow fungus into smaller pieces and then trim off the yellowish crusty part at the bottom. Discard those
Cooking:
Bring water to a boil. Add the snow fungus, red dates, black dates, lotus seeds, longan in a large pot. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to let it gently simmer for the next 20 minutes. Cover with a lid, leaving a bit gap if you are afraid it might boil over
After 20 minutes, everything in there should have been softened. If not, let them simmer a bit longer. Add rock sugar and stir until melt. Taste for sweetness. Add more if you prefer. Once you are happy with the level of sweetness, add the goji berries, turn off the heat. The residual heat will soften the goji berries. You don't want to overcook goji berries as they will turn sour
The dessert can be served warm or chill
Storing:
Leftover can be stored in the refrigerator. I recommend not to store for more than 3 days if possible