In Hong Kong, both daylily buds and snow fungus are popular ingredients for slow-cooked soups and home-style dishes. But product quality on the market varies widely. How can you buy good-quality goods at a fair price? Here is a practical guide from Global Medicine.
1. How to Choose Daylily Buds
Good daylily buds are valued for their crisp texture and unique aroma.
- Check the color: quality daylily buds are usually golden yellow or light yellow-brown. Avoid products that look overly bright orange-yellow, which may have been over-fumigated with sulfur, or products that are darkened and moldy.
- Smell them: they should have a mild natural dried-vegetable aroma. A sharp sour smell, sulfur smell, or moldy odor indicates poor quality.
- Feel the texture: when you grab a handful and release it, the strands should loosen naturally and remain separate. If they feel sticky or clump together, they may have absorbed moisture or been stored for too long.
2. How to Choose Snow Fungus
Snow fungus is prized for rich collagen-like texture and a soft, gelatinous mouthfeel.
- Look at the shape: good snow fungus should resemble a chrysanthemum or rooster-comb shape, with whole and fluffy petals. Avoid unnaturally white pieces with no impurities, as they may have been bleached. Natural snow fungus is usually slightly yellow with a darker brown base.
- Touch the texture: it should be dry, light, and snap easily. If it feels soft or leathery, the dryness is insufficient, making it easier to mold and harder to cook out the gel.
- Soaking test: high-quality snow fungus expands several times after soaking, feels thick and springy, and leaves the soaking water clear.
3. Preparation Tips for Daylily Buds and Snow Fungus
- Soaking daylily buds: soak in clean water for 15-20 minutes until softened. The key step is to cut off about 1 cm of the hard stem at the top after soaking, as that is the source of sourness. Then tie the buds into knots for a crisper texture and to keep them from falling apart.
- Soaking snow fungus: soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Do not use hot water, or the gel texture will be locked in and harder to release during cooking. After soaking, tear into small pieces and remove the yellow hard base.
Next time you shop for dried goods at Global Medicine, use these methods to inspect the quality yourself. Our products are carefully selected and not excessively sulfur-fumigated, so customers can eat with confidence.
