A Tested Recipe
Tremella and Lotus Seed Porridge (Yin Er Lian Zi Zhou).
A gently sweet Chinese dessert porridge with silky tremella, tender lotus seeds, red dates, and optional goji berries. Long soaking and slow simmering give it a soothing, lightly gelatinous texture.
By jackTao · Jul 5, 2026
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The Mise en Place
Ingredients
Adjust portions
Main Ingredients (One Serving)
- 60 g dried tremella (snow fungus or silver ear mushroom)
- 20 g dried lotus seeds, bitter green cores removed
- 6 g dried red dates
- 5-6 g goji berries (optional)
Sweetener and Cooking Liquid
- 10-20 g rock sugar, divided
- 600 ml water
The Method
Instructions
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
- Step 5
- Step 6
- Step 7
Soak the Ingredients
- Soak the dried tremella and lotus seeds in separate bowls of clean water for . Soak the red dates for 10-.
- Rinse the goji berries and set them aside. Once the tremella is soft, trim away any hard yellow base and tear it into small pieces.
- 01
Soak the Ingredients
- Soak the dried tremella and lotus seeds in separate bowls of clean water for . Soak the red dates for 10-.
- Rinse the goji berries and set them aside. Once the tremella is soft, trim away any hard yellow base and tear it into small pieces.
- 02
Start the Porridge
- Pour 600ml water into a medium pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add the soaked tremella, lotus seeds, and red dates to the boiling water.
- 03
Simmer over Medium Heat
- When the water returns to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer gently for .
- 04
Add Goji Berries and Sugar
- After , add the goji berries and 5-10g rock sugar. Reduce the heat to low.
- 05
Cook Until Silky
- Continue simmering over low heat for , stirring occasionally as the tremella becomes thick and silky.
- 06
Adjust the Sweetness
- Add the remaining 5-10g rock sugar and stir continuously for 5-, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.
- 07
Serve
- Turn off the heat and ladle the tremella and lotus seed porridge into a serving bowl. Serve warm.
Cook's Notes
Notes
One serving contains approximately 282 calories, depending on the amount of rock sugar used.
Note Nº 01
Once the tremella starts to thicken, stir it regularly and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching.
Note Nº 02
Removing the bitter green cores from the lotus seeds keeps the finished porridge mild and pleasantly sweet.
Note Nº 03
For a less sweet porridge, begin with 10g rock sugar and add more only after tasting near the end.
Note Nº 04
The finished tremella should be soft and silky, while the lotus seeds should be tender but still hold their shape.
Note Nº 05
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