Pomelo Stewed Chicken

Why people make this dish

Indigestion and stomach aches often come from eating without restraint — food sits and stagnates, the “qi” stops moving smoothly, and the belly feels stuffed. The classic answer is to gently strengthen the stomach and help food move along. Pomelo season brings a window to make the most of this fragrant fruit: stewing the flesh with chicken lets the aroma wake the stomach and traditionally helps move stuck food. It is especially welcome for that bloated, no-appetite, “everything just sits there” feeling, or for burping and food aversion.

Method

1. Peel the pomelo and remove the flesh, discarding the pith and seeds.
2. Shave the green outer layer off the peel; blanch one piece of peel, squeeze dry, and chop fine.
3. Chop the chicken and blanch it.
4. Put everything in a stewing pot, add 1.2 L of boiling water, and double-stew 2 hours. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

Pomelo peel helps move food and transform phlegm, but it can taste slightly bitter and astringent — if you prefer, swap in 1–2 pieces of dried tangerine peel (chen pi). This soup is also traditionally used by those with a phlegmy cough. When shaving the peel, take off only the green-yellow surface layer, or it will turn bitter.