Salt-Steamed Orange

Why people make this

Most people know that eating raw citrus during a cough can make things worse — the cooling, phlegm-promoting nature of raw orange is not helpful when your airways are already congested. But generations of Chinese families also know that cooking the orange completely changes its properties. The compounds in the peel — including naringenin and orange peel oil — are associated with cough suppression and phlegm dissolution in the traditional literature, and these are released more fully when the orange is steamed whole. A pinch of salt draws these active compounds out further. The result is a warm, fragrant remedy that is easy enough for a child and effective enough that parents keep coming back to it. It takes 20 minutes and uses ingredients almost everyone has at home.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Best for heat-type cough: yellow or thick phlegm, red and sore throat, bitter taste in the mouth, dry mouth
• Suitable for children (for young children, omit the salt and add a little honey after steaming)
• Not suitable for cold-type cough: clear or white thin phlegm, no sore throat, itchy or tickling feeling in the throat
• Note: this works specifically with oranges (cheng zi) — mandarin oranges (gan) and tangerines (ju) look similar but have a warming nature and will not produce the same effect; do not substitute

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Orange (cheng / xian cheng): The peel contains naringenin and essential oils traditionally associated with calming cough and dissolving phlegm; steaming releases these compounds into the juice and pulp; the heat transformation also removes the phlegm-promoting properties of the raw fruit
• Salt (a pinch): Traditionally said to help draw out and activate the medicinal properties of the orange peel; also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect in the throat

Ingredients (1 serving)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh orange	1 whole	Wash the skin very thoroughly
Table salt	A very small pinch	Less is more — just a few grains

Method

1. Wash the orange skin very thoroughly (scrub with salt and rinse well to remove pesticide residue, since the peel is part of the treatment).
2. Cut off the top portion of the orange to form a lid.
3. Use a knife to score the orange flesh inside with a few cuts.
4. Sprinkle a very small pinch of salt over the exposed flesh.
5. Replace the top as a lid and secure with a toothpick.
6. Place in a bowl and steam over boiling water for 20 minutes.
7. Remove and use a spoon to press and squeeze out the juice from the peel and flesh.
8. Drink the warm juice and eat the flesh. Repeat for 3 consecutive days.

Bro Niu’s tips

Be sure you are using a true orange (cheng zi), not a mandarin or tangerine — they look similar but behave very differently. Mandarin and tangerine are warming and will not have the cough-relieving effect. For young children, omit the salt entirely and drizzle a little honey over the flesh after steaming — this makes it more palatable and honey itself has a mild soothing effect on the throat. Wash the skin extremely well before steaming as pesticide residue on citrus skin is common.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Miffy): My toddler (2 years old) has had a heavy cold recently. Most of the runny nose has cleared up, but he now coughs when he naps and at night, with occasional phlegm sounds. What should I do? Bro Niu: You can use perilla seed (su zi) and radish seed (lai fu zi), 3 qian each, placed in a soup bag, and cook into a thin lean pork congee for him. Three doses in a row.

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Published December 20, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.