Golden Monk Fruit Pear Water

Why people make this drink

If you have ever spent time around heavy smokers or regular drinkers, you know the telltale signs: a dry, scratchy throat, a hoarse voice, skin that seems perpetually dehydrated, and a persistent low-grade tiredness. This two-ingredient drink has been a Hong Kong household staple for addressing exactly that pattern. Modern research confirms what traditional food therapy has long held about pears: they are rich in sugars and vitamins that support liver function, and the juice is particularly valued by smokers for helping protect the throat lining from irritants. Paired with monk fruit — one of the sweetest natural substances known, yet with a low glycaemic impact — the result is a naturally sweet, lung-moistening drink that the whole family can enjoy.

Method

1. Press the monk fruit with the flat side of a knife or a pestle to crack open the shell; do not discard the shell — it carries most of the flavour.
2. Wash the pears well, leaving the skin on. Remove cores and cut into chunks.
3. Place monk fruit pieces and pear into a pot with 1.8–2.1 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for about 20 minutes.
5. The liquid should reduce to roughly 1.5 L. No sweetener is needed — monk fruit is intensely sweet naturally.
6. Can be served warm or cooled. Refrigerate leftovers after straining.

Nourilo’s Tips

The golden monk fruit — made by low-temperature dehydration — contains roughly 30 times more vitamins than the smoke-dried variety and has no smoky aftertaste. If you cannot find the golden variety, ordinary monk fruit works fine; just use the same amount. This drink can be refrigerated and enjoyed the next day after straining. For a richer version, you can add lean pork and simmer for 30 minutes to make a light soup. If you have stomach sensitivity, adding one piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) helps settle the stomach. The pear core has a slight bitterness; always remove it.