Tangerine Peel, Apricot Kernel and Steamed Pear

Why people make this dish

Autumn is the season when Cantonese fruit stalls fill up with cool-weather pears and freshly picked mandarins destined to become aged tangerine peel. It is also the season when many people develop a stubborn cough that seems to cling on — especially after too many rich or fried foods, which can leave the throat feeling coated and phlegmy.

Steaming a pear whole and filling it with tangerine peel and apricot kernels is one of the most beloved old-fashioned remedies in Cantonese home cooking. The pear itself is cool and moistening — good for a hot, dry cough with thick phlegm. The aged tangerine peel is warming and moves qi downward, helping to transform and shift the phlegm. Together they balance each other, making this dish suitable for most cough types, hot or cold.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits those with a cough accompanied by phlegm — especially thick, sticky, hard-to-shift phlegm — or dryness and heat in the chest and throat from overeating rich food.
• Because the tangerine peel is warming and balances the pear’s cooling nature, both hot and cold cough types can enjoy this dish.
• For young children, use only the sweet southern apricot kernels (nan xing). Northern (bitter) apricot kernels (bei xing) carry a mild natural bitterness and should be used in very small amounts — they are not recommended for infants.
• Honey should not be given to infants under 12 months. Rock sugar is a safer sweetener for young children.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Pear (xue li / ya li): Cooling and moistening in nature; traditionally associated with nourishing the lungs, clearing heat, and dissolving thick phlegm. Pear juice is particularly potent — hence the method of using one pear for juice and one pear as the vessel.
• Aged tangerine peel (jiu chen pi): The older the better — peel aged for three to five or more years develops a distinctive aromatic quality quite different from fresh peel. In traditional practice it is considered warming, and is associated with moving qi, settling the stomach, and transforming phlegm. It is particularly valued by middle-aged and older adults for its gentle but effective action, and is also associated with cardiovascular support.
• Apricot kernels (xing ren): The southern (sweet) type moistens the lungs; the northern (bitter) type dissolves phlegm and relieves cough. Northern kernels carry a mild natural bitterness and should always be used sparingly and only in very small amounts in home cooking.

Ingredients (1–2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Aged tangerine peel	2 pieces	Soak to soften, then slice into thin strips
Apricot kernels	A small handful (~10–15)	Soak and rinse; southern type preferred for children
Large pear	2 whole	One for juicing, one for the steaming vessel
Rock sugar (or honey)	To taste	Dissolve separately; drizzle over before serving

Method

1. Soak the aged tangerine peel in water until soft, then slice into very thin strips.
2. Soak and rinse the apricot kernels.
3. Take one pear and juice it (or blend and strain). Set the juice aside.
4. Take the second pear: cut off the top near the stem to create a small “lid.” Use a spoon to carefully hollow out the core and seeds from inside, creating a small bowl.
5. Place the pear into a small heatproof bowl or ramekin. Fill the cavity with the tangerine peel strips, apricot kernels, and the pear juice from step 3.
6. Replace the “lid” (or simply leave it open).
7. Steam over simmering water for about 30 minutes.
8. Melt rock sugar into a small amount of hot water to make a syrup (or use honey). Drizzle over the pear just before serving.
9. Serve warm. Eat the pear flesh, apricot kernels, and tangerine peel along with the juice inside.

Bro Niu’s tips

The older the tangerine peel, the better. Aged peel (three to five years or more) has a much gentler and more aromatic quality than fresh peel, and is particularly beneficial for middle-aged and older adults — supporting digestion, helping soften the phlegm in a cough, and even associated with cardiovascular health in traditional use. Aged tangerine peel can be found at Chinese dried goods shops. If you cannot find duck-bill pear (ya li), any large, firm variety will do. For a child’s cough with white phlegm that leans toward cold, Bro Niu suggests substituting apple for the pear — apple nourishes the protective qi and is warmer than pear.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Wendy): My three-year-old has been coughing with phlegm for over two weeks. He can’t expectorate the phlegm himself. Can he have this dish? Can I leave out the rock sugar in case it makes more phlegm? Bro Niu: Yes, you can leave out the rock sugar if there is phlegm — but young children may not like the taste without any sweetness. A small amount of honey makes it more palatable. Either morning or noon is a good time to serve it.

• Q (Yumi): I made this and the phlegm started loosening — it went from yellow to white with a little yellow. But I keep wanting to cough. Should I continue? Bro Niu: That is a positive sign — the phlegm is clearing. Once it turns mostly white, you can switch pear for apple. Apple nourishes the body’s defensive energy and is slightly warmer, which is better for the recovery stage. Continue for three servings.

• Q (Maruko): Can I substitute apple for the pear? Bro Niu: Yes, apple works well as a substitute.

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Published October 24, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.