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.

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.

Nourilo’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, Nourilo suggests substituting apple for the pear — apple nourishes the protective qi and is warmer than pear.