Lotus seed porridge with black fungus

This lotus seed porridge is made up of rice congee, lotus seeds and black fungus.

Lotus seed 莲子 (lian zi) is the seed of the lotus plant.

You know, the plant growing in ponds with the big white flowers and round leaves. Almost every part of this plant can be eaten.

It is commonly cooked and ground into a smooth paste and used as a filling for a number of chinese pastries and desserts. A famous example is the mooncake 月饼 (yue bing).

1/3 cup dried lotus seeds
4-5 pieces of wood ear fungus 木耳 (mu er)
1 cup of rice<
8 cups of water
1 tbsp cooking wine
1/4 tsp salt

1. Shell and wash the lotus seeds
2. Wash the black fungus, soak till soft and cut into thin strips
3. Wash the rice
4. Bring water to boil and add the rice
5. Lower heat and simmer
6. When the porridge is cooked, add the black fungus and lotus seeds
7. Cook until the black fungus and lotus seeds are soft
8. Add salt and cooking wine

Recipe link: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/lotus-seed-porridge.html