Home-Style Dishes
Day Lily and Cloud Ear Mushroom Braised Chicken
Traditionally used to nourish blood, calm the spirit, and support recovery after menstruation or childbirth
Why people make this dish
Day lily buds and cloud ear mushroom are two of the most versatile ingredients in Cantonese home cooking — modest in cost, easy to prepare, and deeply appreciated for their food-therapy qualities. This braised chicken brings them together in a way that is practical enough for a weeknight family meal while being genuinely nourishing for the blood and spirit. The defining element of the technique is using black glutinous rice wine in place of water — no extra liquid is added — which produces a deeply fragrant, slightly sweet braised sauce that permeates the tender chicken.
In Chinese food therapy, day lily buds are associated with lifting mood and nourishing the blood, while cloud ear mushroom is one of the most iron-rich plant foods available, with traditional associations with supporting blood circulation and reducing blood lipids. Red dates add gentle sweetness and further blood-nourishing benefit. This is a dish that Cantonese families traditionally serve to women after their period or in the postpartum period.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Excellent for women after menstruation or in postpartum recovery, when replenishing blood and qi is a priority.
- Suitable for the whole family as a nutritious and flavourful dinner.
- Those who avoid alcohol entirely can substitute the glutinous rice wine with good-quality broth, though the distinctive fragrance will be reduced.
- Postpartum mothers should wait until their lochia is largely clear before having this dish.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Day lily buds (jin zhen / huang hua cai): Sweet and cooling, associated with nourishing blood, easing anxiety and depression (historically called “the forgetting-worries grass”), supporting lactation, and benefiting brain health.
- Cloud ear mushroom (yun er / Auricularia cornea): Rich in iron, polysaccharides, and fibre. Traditional Chinese food therapy associates it with nourishing blood and qi, lowering blood lipids, improving circulation, and supporting cardiovascular health.
- Red dates (hong zao): The classic blood-nourishing sweet ingredient in Cantonese cooking. Gently warming, they enrich the sauce and add a natural sweetness.
- Black glutinous rice wine (hei nuo mi jiu): The secret to the dish’s aroma and tender texture. It is used entirely in place of water, making the chicken especially succulent and fragrant.
Ingredients (3–4 servings)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Organic chicken, half | Half a bird | Rinse, chop into pieces, marinate briefly |
| Dried day lily buds (jin zhen) | ~11 g (3 qian) | Soak until soft; tie each bud into a knot |
| Dried cloud ear mushroom (yun er) | ~11 g (3 qian) | Soak until fully expanded; trim any woody stem |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 5 pieces | Remove pits and slice |
| Fresh ginger | 1 tablespoon | Julienne finely |
| Black glutinous rice wine | 1 bowl (~250 ml) | Look for Jia Bao or similar brand at Asian supermarkets |
| Seasoning | To taste | Salt, a splash of light soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar or starch |
Method
- Chop the chicken into pieces. Marinate with a little salt, soy sauce, and a pinch of starch for about 30 minutes.
- Soak the day lily buds until soft, then tie each one into a simple knot — this prevents them from unravelling during cooking.
- Soak the cloud ear mushroom until fully expanded; trim off any tough, woody base.
- Remove the pits from the red dates and slice them.
- Heat a little oil in a wok or heavy pan. Fry the ginger until fragrant, then add the chicken pieces and sear until lightly golden on both sides.
- Add the day lily buds, cloud ear mushroom, and red dates. Toss everything together briefly.
- Pour in the entire bowl of glutinous rice wine. Do not add water.
- Add seasoning to taste, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Continue until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked through with the bones beginning to pull away — about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Bro Niu’s tips
The key to this dish is the no-water rule: only glutinous rice wine is used as the cooking liquid. This makes the chicken extraordinarily tender and fragrant. The dish is suitable for all ages and is particularly nourishing for women coming off their period or after delivery. If substituting sea cucumber for the chicken, you get a different but equally nourishing version with added kidney-tonifying benefit. Tying the day lily buds into knots before cooking is a small step that keeps the dish looking tidy and prevents the buds from breaking apart in the sauce.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Daphne, Florida): What is glutinous rice wine and what is its English name? Bro Niu: Bro Niu added a photo of the bottle to the original article. It is black glutinous rice wine (hei nuo mi jiu) — a sweet, mildly alcoholic fermented rice wine, darker and richer than regular rice wine. You can find it at Asian grocery stores under names like “black rice wine” or look for the Jia Bao brand.
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Q (anonymous): Can sea cucumber be used to substitute for chicken in this recipe? Bro Niu: Yes, sea cucumber works well in this recipe. Using sea cucumber adds a yin-nourishing and kidney-supporting benefit.
Published March 16, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
