Broccoli, Snow Fungus and Fish Paste Stuffed Mushroom

Why people make this dish

Preventing bone loss is not something most people think about until their forties or fifties — but in Chinese food-therapy thinking, the foundation should be built much earlier. Bro Niu developed this dish in collaboration with a health magazine, and he designed it specifically around ingredients that are genuinely rich in calcium and bone-supporting nutrients: broccoli (one of the best vegetable sources of calcium), snow fungus (which provides trace minerals and collagen-supporting compounds), and mushrooms (which provide vitamin D precursors when sun-dried). The result is a dish that would be at home in a good restaurant — delicate, savoury and satisfying — while carrying centuries of food-medicine rationale behind it.

The technique of making fresh dace fish paste at home (by scraping the flesh from the backbone with a spoon) gives you a completely bone-free, wonderfully smooth, low-cholesterol fish paste — a useful skill that Bro Niu uses in several recipes.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most people, particularly older adults concerned about bone density, or anyone who wants to add more plant-based calcium to their diet
• Appropriate for those looking to strengthen the spleen and stomach function
• No significant contraindications for the average healthy person

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Broccoli (xi lan hua / 西兰花): Rich in vitamin C, calcium and fibre; traditionally described as moistening the throat, benefiting the lungs, and — notably — associated in modern research with potential cancer-risk reduction. Bro Niu values it as one of the highest-calcium vegetables available in the market.
• Snow fungus (xue er / 雪耳): A mild, naturally sweet fungus; classified as tonifying to the brain, nourishing to the lungs and kidneys, and moistening to the intestines. Contains plant polysaccharides associated with immune support.
• Flower mushrooms (hua gu / 花菇): A premium dried shiitake variety. Classically used to nourish the spleen and stomach, clear internal heat, and support bowel regularity. Also associated with blood pressure support.
• Dace fish (ling yu / 鲮鱼肉): Classified as neutral in temperature, with qi-nourishing properties. Scraping the fillet by hand yields a paste completely free of small bones — a home technique far superior to commercially ground fish paste.

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Broccoli	1 head	Cut into florets
Snow fungus (dried)	11 g (3 qian)	Soaked until soft, stem removed, finely chopped
Dried flower mushrooms	8 pieces	Soaked soft, stems removed
Dace fish fillet	150 g	Scraped into paste
Egg whites	2	1 for fish paste, 1 for sauce
Minced ginger	1 tsp
Stock	As needed	For the snow fungus sauce
Cornstarch	As needed	Dust mushrooms; thicken sauce
Salt, white pepper, sesame oil	To taste

Method

1. Soak the snow fungus in cold water until fully expanded and soft (at least 30 minutes). Trim and discard the tough yellowish stem, then chop finely.
2. Soak the flower mushrooms in warm water until soft (20–30 minutes). Remove stems. Steam the mushrooms for 15 minutes to soften fully, then remove and pat dry.
3. Scrape the dace fish fillet with a teaspoon to produce smooth, bone-free fish paste. Mix with 1 egg white, salt, white pepper and a little cornstarch. Stir vigorously until the paste becomes elastic and smooth.
4. Dust the inside of each mushroom cap with a little cornstarch. Stuff generously with the fish paste. Steam the stuffed mushrooms over high heat for 15 minutes until the fish paste is fully cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a wok. Stir-fry the minced ginger until fragrant. Add the chopped snow fungus and stock. Season and simmer for about 7 minutes. Thicken with a little cornstarch slurry. Finish by stirring in the second egg white, beaten, and allow it to just set in the sauce.
6. Blanch the broccoli florets briefly in boiling salted water and arrange on a serving plate. Place the stuffed mushrooms on top. Pour the glossy snow fungus sauce over everything and serve immediately.

Bro Niu’s tips

The key to beautiful, smooth fish paste is to scrape the flesh from a very fresh dace fish — ideally one that was alive recently and has rested in the refrigerator overnight before scraping. This overnight rest firms up the flesh slightly and makes it easier to work with. The resulting paste has no small bones at all, is snow-white in colour, and has a silky texture comparable to prawn paste but with far less cholesterol. This is a dish worth practising — once you have the technique, you can use the same fish paste in many other preparations.

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Published November 10, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.