Fritillary Powder Steamed Persimmon Cake

Why people make this

When a child’s cold lingers and the cough just will not clear up, bitter herbal teas are the last thing a tired parent wants to negotiate with a five-year-old. That is exactly why this two-ingredient steamed snack has been a go-to for generations of Cantonese families. Fritillary (chuan bei) is one of the most respected food-therapy ingredients for respiratory complaints — it helps ease the bronchial spasms behind a persistent cough and is associated with dissolving sticky phlegm. But it is bitter, and most children refuse to take it in tea form. Stuffed inside a sweet persimmon cake and gently steamed, the bitterness nearly disappears. Dried persimmon cakes, unlike fresh persimmons which are quite cold in nature, have had their cooling quality largely removed through the drying process — making them safe for both cold-type and heat-type coughs.