Home-Style Dishes
Braised Sea Cucumber with Golden Lily Buds & Wood Ear
Traditionally used to nourish the kidneys and support fertility
Why people make this dish
Golden lily buds and wood ear are a classic pairing — they work in both meat and vegetarian cooking and make many tasty dishes. This braised sea cucumber version is a savory, home-style dish. In food-therapy tradition sea cucumber is regarded as nourishing to both kidney yin and kidney yang — a “both-ways” nourishing food — and it is traditionally favored by couples hoping to conceive, as well as those with dry skin, restless sleep, or other concerns.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Men and women of all ages; traditionally favored by couples hoping to conceive, and those with dry skin or restless sleep
- Vegetarians can swap the sea cucumber for herbs such as rou cong rong, ba ji, du zhong (each ~11 g), goji berries (~15 g), black beans and red dates simmered as a tonic soup
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Sea cucumber (hai shen): traditionally regarded as nourishing both kidney yin and kidney yang, and supporting fertility
- Golden lily buds (jin zhen cai): considered cooling; pair with wood ear for balance
- Wood ear (yun er): also considered cooling; a tasty, nourishing match for the lily buds
- Shiitake (dong gu): adds savory depth
Ingredients (2–3 servings)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Golden lily buds (jin zhen cai) | ~75 g (2 liang) | Soak until soft |
| Wood ear (yun er) | ~38 g (1 liang) | Soak until soft |
| Shiitake (dong gu) | 4 | |
| Re-hydrated sea cucumber (hai shen) | 2 | Blanch, then simmer in stock |
| Choy sum (cai xin) | A few stalks | Blanched, for plating |
| Ginger shreds, scallion whites, seasoning | To taste |
Method
- Soak the lily buds and wood ear in clean water until soft.
- Blanch the sea cucumber, cut into pieces, then simmer in stock to absorb flavor.
- Heat a little oil and fry the ginger shreds until fragrant; add lily buds, wood ear, shiitake and sea cucumber.
- Add seasoning and a little water; braise about 12 minutes. As the sauce reduces, add scallion segments, a splash of wine, and toss a few times.
- Blanch the choy sum and arrange around the plate; pour the sauce over and serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
This dish is traditionally regarded as nourishing to the kidneys and beautifying; it suits men, women, young and old.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (vegetarian reader): What can a vegetarian use in place of sea cucumber and fish maw for fertility support? Bro Niu: Vegetarians can use the herbs rou cong rong, ba ji, du zhong (each ~11 g), goji berries (~15 g), black beans (~38 g) and 6 southern dates, 5 bowls of water down to 2 — traditionally used to support kidney energy and fertility.
- Q (Chen Ling): Can this dish be made with lean pork or silkie chicken added? And how long should it stew? Bro Niu: Sea cucumber and fish maw are rich in gelatin and suit stewing as a soup; adding kidney-supporting herbs works well. Add fresh shan yao, lean pork or silkie chicken as you like, and stew 2–3 hours.
- Q (reader): Why are golden lily buds and wood ear always used together — is it to balance a “cold” food with a “hot” one? Bro Niu: Both golden lily buds and wood ear are cooling in nature; they’re paired simply because their flavors go so well together.
Published August 26, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
