Snow fungus and lotus seed sweet soup

Soak snow fungus as labeled, trim its hard base, rinse, drain and only then weigh the listed amount; it is not a dry weight. Separately soften lotus seeds and check dates are pitted. Keep total room-temperature fungus soaking within 2 hours or refrigerate longer soaks; discard slime or abnormal odors.

Tear fungus smaller and put it in a pot with lotus, dates and listed cooking water. Boil, reduce to low, leave the lid ajar and start a 1 hr check, stirring the bottom and topping up hot water as needed.

Add half the rock sugar and any rinsed goji berries. Continue over low heat with a 30 min check, moving on only when fungus is soft and lotus has no hard center. Cook longer if needed.

Add the remaining sugar and stir gently with a 5 min check. Turn off heat when sugar dissolves and soup is lightly syrupy but flowing; do not boil dry to force thickening.

Ladle into small bowls and cool briefly; for chilled service, promptly refrigerate in shallow containers until cold through.