Chuan Bei Stewed Apple (Chuan Bei Dun Ping Guo)

Why people make this dish

When the voice goes hoarse — from talking too much, dry weather, or a lingering respiratory issue — this double-boiled apple with fritillary bulb is one of the gentlest remedies in the Cantonese food-therapy tradition. While the classic pairing for phlegmy, hot coughs is fritillary with pear, the apple version is specifically suited to dryness: when the throat feels parched, the voice turns scratchy and thin, and there is little or no phlegm. Friends who have tried this recipe have reported noticeable improvement in their hoarseness after two servings. The result is a warm, lightly sweetened, fragrant bowl that drinks like a soothing dessert.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• People with a dry, hoarse, or scratchy voice from overuse, dry climate, or mild lung-dryness patterns.
• Helpful during recovery from a cold or cough where the main remaining symptom is throat dryness and voice weakness.
• Suitable for adults and children over 3 (reduce chuan bei to 1 qian for young children; check with a doctor first).
• Those with active fever or an acute phlegmy cough with thick yellow phlegm should use the pear version instead, or seek medical advice.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Fritillary bulb (chuan bei mu): One of the most respected herbs for the lungs in the Chinese materia medica. Traditionally used to transform phlegm, stop coughing, and specifically address lung-dryness patterns: chronic cough with little phlegm, dry throat, and hoarseness. It is best ground to powder so none of the expensive herb is wasted.
• Apple (ping guo): Moist, gently sweet, and cooling. Supports the lung-stomach fluid, eases throat dryness, and makes the preparation pleasant to consume. The combination with chuan bei specifically addresses wind-pathogen and dryness-fire patterns in the throat.
• Honey (feng mi): Traditionally used to moisten the lungs and harmonize other ingredients. Added only after cooking cools slightly, to preserve its beneficial compounds.

Ingredients (1 serving)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fritillary bulb (chuan bei mu)	6 g (2 qian)	Ground into fine powder
Apple	1 medium	Peeled, cored, cut into chunks
Pure honey	to taste	Add after the dish cools slightly

Method

1. Grind chuan bei mu to a fine powder using a small grinder or mortar and pestle.
2. Peel, core, and cut the apple into bite-sized chunks.
3. Place the apple chunks and chuan bei powder together in a double-boiler pot (dun zhong / heatproof bowl).
4. Pour in 2 bowls of boiling water.
5. Cover and steam over medium heat in a double boiler for approximately 45 minutes, until the apple is completely soft.
6. Allow the liquid to cool slightly (not hot), then stir in honey to taste. Drink the liquid and eat the soft apple and all the powdered herb residue.

Bro Niu’s tips

Chuan bei mu is one of the more expensive herbs you will encounter, so grinding it to powder and consuming all of it is the right approach — nothing is wasted. Add the honey only when the dish has cooled a little; if you stir honey into boiling liquid, some of its beneficial enzymes and nutrients are destroyed. For the best result, take two servings on consecutive evenings.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Mandy): My child is 3.5 years old and has had a dry cough after taking cold medicine. Can she drink this to moisten the throat? Should it be taken separately from the Western medicine? Bro Niu: She can drink this throat-moistening remedy. Separate it from the Western medicine by about 2 hours.

• Q (Kk): I am 37 years old and have been getting hoarse easily for almost a year — the hoarseness comes on quickly but then resolves in about 2 days. I tend to get mouth ulcers too. What could be the cause, and is there a tea for long-term use? Bro Niu: Chronic recurring hoarseness is worth having checked by a doctor. If it is related to overwork, late nights, or a diet heavy in fried and spicy foods, lifestyle changes are important. You can try steeping jin luo han guo (one-sixth of a monk fruit), 3 pang da hai (boat sterculia seeds), and 1 tablespoon jin yin hua (honeysuckle flower) in boiling water for 10 minutes — or simmer in 3 bowls of water for 10 minutes — and drink 3 times a week. This supports chronic throat dryness and mild inflammation.

---

Published April 27, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.