Hashima Dessert Soup (雪蛤膏糖水)

Rumor has it that Hashima Dessert Soup is a delicious way to nourish your skin and keep it looking youthful! It’s an elegant and simple solution to enjoying something sweet after a long day. The best part is it only uses 6 ingredients!

A simple way to nourish your skin!

When the sweltering heat hits Sydney mid-November, there’s only one thing I crave after a long day of work – a cold, refreshing dish to instantly cool me down.

This Hashima Dessert Soup is something Mum used to regularly make for us before she became a full-time vegetarian (and began making delicious vegetarian meals).

It’s one of those recipes that leaves you satisfied no matter how heavy the meal before was. The reason? An incredibly light soup with a sweetness so gentle it melts through your soul.

All it takes is some overnight soaking (you’ll be asleep for most of it, anyway!), cleaning and then it’s just a simple 2-step process: pour and boil!

It might be an old wives’ tale today, but hashima is known for its nourishing abilities. Beautiful skin, stronger lungs, you name it – this dessert soup has got you covered!

All about hashima

What it is

Hashima, also known as hasma and pronounced ‘suet gaap go’ in Cantonese, is a delicacy popular in Chinese cuisine. It comes from the fat tissues near frog falopian tubes and is used medicinally as it is said to have many health benefits.

A symbol of prosperity, it used to be eaten only by emporers. These days, it is consumed by people all across China during special occasions because it still remains quite expensive.

Taste

Like many Chinese delicacies (including snow fungus and abalone), there is almost no flavor to the ingredient. These luxuries are often enjoyed for their texture and potential health benefits.

Once it goes in your mouth, it just melts. Each ball is delicate and gelatinous so there is no need to chew.

It might take on the sweetness of your dessert soup, but that’s as far as flavors go!

Health benefits

It is said that hasma can help to add moisture to skin, which assists with maintaining a youthful look.

Hasma also has a variety of vitmains and minerals, including iron, protein and potassium. All of these benefits are believed to strengthen the lungs.

At home, we just enjoy Hashima Dessert Soup for its refreshing and simple taste, benefits or not!

What you’ll need

About the ingredients

All of the ingredients can be found in Chinese herbal medicine shops.

Modifications

We kept our Hashima Dessert Soup recipe simple, but you can definitely add more ingredients to suit your preferences. Here are some examples of what you might like to add:

Lotus seeds
Snow fungus
Honey dates
Osmanthus
Papaya

While these are great for a sweet version, you can also make it a savory soup using a chicken and pork stock and seasoning to taste.

How to make this recipe

Soak the hashima overnight in cool water, which will make it expand significantly.

On the next day, clean the soaked hashima by rinsing it under cold water and draining it through a colander 3 times or until the fishy smell is gone.

Use your fingers to pull or scrape away any dark impurities.

Rinse the dried longan and red dates, then bring the water to a boil and throw in the washed ingredients. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

Wash the goji berries and add them in.

Immediately after, pour in the hashima and sweeten with rock sugar. Once all the sugar has melted, serve immediately as is or enjoy chilled!

FAQs

What can I substitute rock sugar with?

Regular sugar or palm sugar are great alternatives. The biggest difference is that the sweetness is sharper and richer rather than gentle like rock sugar.

Can you eat hashima when pregnant?

The short answer is ‘yes’. It is believed that while pregnant, women need to support their bodies with food that is highly nourishing. Hashima, along with ingredients like bird’s nest and fish maw, fall under that category.

Tips for the best results

Clean the hashima thoroughly. This may take more than a few rinses, but removing any odors will keep your dessert tasting fresh.
Add the goji berries and hashima in towards the end. If cooked for too long, goji berires will become bitter and sour. Also, overcooking hashima will melt it, so you only need to have it on the heat for a short time.
Break the rock sugar into smaller pieces. This will help to control how sweet the soup gets so you’re not forced to dump huge chunks in.

Check out these classic desserts!

Sago Soup With Taro (西米露) – Warm, thick and inviting, you’ll love this classic and easy recipe.
Black Sesame Soup (芝麻糊) – This dessert is incredibly nourishing with a deep nutty flavor for everyone to enjoy.
Taro and Sweet Potato Balls Dessert (九份芋圓) – Have fun making these with the family and enjoy the rewards when you have delicious chewy balls made from natural root vegetables.
Sweet Potato and Ginger Dessert Soup (番薯糖水) – Warm up with an easy tong sui that is much healthier than most.
Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls with Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước) – One of the most amazing desserts ever. The creamy center balances every chew beautifully. Having one is never enough!

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