Homemade Aged Tangerine Peel (Xin Hui Chen Pi)

Why people make this

Aged tangerine peel (chen pi) is a cornerstone of the Cantonese kitchen — a piece or two dropped into an everyday soup is traditionally said to help move qi and resolve phlegm. The Xin Hui winter tangerine is the prized source. The trick is patience: the greener the fresh peel, the more fragrant it becomes once dried and aged, and good peel needs at least three years of storage before use. And when an early cold and cough come on, that same peel becomes a quick warming tea with ginger and perilla.

Method

1. To dry the peel: Peel winter tangerines, thread the peel onto string or wire, and air-dry in a breezy spot for 5–6 days (bring indoors at night so it doesn’t reabsorb moisture). Dry until brittle enough to snap, then store. Age at least 3 years before use.
2. For the cold-and-cough tea: Simmer chen pi, ginger and perilla leaf in 600 ml of water for 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Drink hot — it’s traditionally taken to release the exterior, induce sweating and ease a cough.

Nourilo’s Tips

The greener the Xin Hui winter peel, the stronger and more fragrant it becomes once aged. The peel in the photo has been stored 7–8 years — very fragrant and mellow; because it was air-dried rather than oven-baked, it stays a natural colour rather than turning blackish-brown. Keep the white pith on (it’s said to help with blood-vessel health), tuck in a couple of star anise to deter damp, and store in glass. Mouldy peel must be thrown away.