Lily Bulb and Sweet Almond Steamed Pear

Why people make this dish

Autumn in Cantonese culinary culture is pear season — and pears are considered one of the most natural, accessible remedies for the dryness that the season often brings. Most of the pear’s fibre and active compounds are concentrated in the skin, so Nourilo always recommends scrubbing the skin well and leaving it on rather than peeling. This steamed pear dish takes the classic pairing of pear with lily bulb (bai he) and sweet almond (nan xing) and turns them into something that looks as beautiful as it tastes — a whole hollowed pear filled with fragrant herbs and honey, gently steamed until soft. It is traditionally enjoyed for a dry, scratchy or persistent cough with little or no phlegm, for a restless or anxious mind at night, for mild constipation, or simply as a skin-nourishing autumn ritual.

Method

1. Scrub the pear thoroughly with a small brush. Slice off the top to create a “lid” and use a spoon to hollow out the core and some of the flesh, taking care to leave the base intact so it can hold liquid.
2. Place the pear upright and securely in a deep steaming bowl or heatproof container so it will not tip over.
3. Fill the pear cavity with the soaked lily bulb, sweet almond and honey. Pour a little boiling water into the cavity to just cover the herbs.
4. Place the pear “lid” back on top.
5. Steam in a double boiler over simmering water for 1 hour.
6. Serve immediately — eat the pear flesh together with the soft herbs and fragrant liquid inside.

Nourilo’s Tips

The gentle temperature of double-boiling (below 80 degrees Celsius inside) means the honey’s active compounds are preserved — this is why the honey goes in before steaming here, not after. If you are making a regular soup rather than a double-boiled version, add honey only at the moment of serving. For this recipe, large pears work best visually and provide more flesh — snow pear, Korean water pear, Taiwanese feng shui pear, or Japanese crystal pear are all excellent choices. Smaller varieties like the common duck-bill pear (ya zui li) are fine if you are simply adding them to a pot of soup.