Have you heard of Chen Pi?
Have you heard of Chen Pi?
Chen Pi(Tangerine peel) is the dried peel of mandarin oranges. It can be used as a medicinal herb and is considered a valuable ingredient. When eating mandarin oranges, don't forget to keep the peels, dry them in the shade, and the longer they are kept, the better.
Chen Pi is named because it is better when it is aged. Fresh mandarin peels may contain pesticide residues and preservatives, which are not beneficial to health, so it is not recommended for medicinal use. It should be dried and stored for at least one year to be considered Chen Pi, and the longer it is stored, the better.
Fresh mandarin peels have strong drying properties, like a young man, with a pungent and diffusive aroma when the orange is peeled. However, after long storage, the pungency is milder, like the wisdom of an experienced elder, warm but not drying. Therefore, well-aged Chen Pi can achieve the purpose of regulating and harmonizing Qi.
Medicinal Value of Chen Pi:
Chen Pi has the functions of regulating Qi, invigorating the Spleen, resolving dampness, and transforming phlegm. It is used to treat symptoms such as abdominal distension, poor appetite, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and excessive phlegm.
Pharmacological Effects:
Experimental studies have shown that Chen Pi extracts have antioxidant effects and can inhibit lipid peroxidation. Decoction of fresh mandarin peels can dilate the bronchi. Small doses of Chen Pi decoction can enhance cardiac contractility, increase cardiac output, dilate coronary arteries, and increase coronary blood flow. Chen Pi decoction also has a cholesterol-lowering effect. The volatile oil contained in Chen Pi has a stimulating and expectorant effect, making phlegm easier to expectorate. Chen Pi decoction has a weak bronchodilatory effect.
Culinary Method for Chen Pi:
Chen Pi Duck Soup:
Chen Pi is paired with nourishing and blood-tonifying duck meat to regulate Qi, invigorate the Spleen, resolve dampness, and transform phlegm, promoting appetite, and relieving thirst. It is especially suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach disharmony.
Cooking Method:
15g Chen Pi, 15g Wolfberries, 250g duck meat, 15g cooking wine, 15g soy sauce, 10g ginger slices, 10g scallion segments, and appropriate amount of salt. Wash the duck meat and cut it into pieces, blanch it in boiling water, and set aside. In a pot, add the duck pieces and enough water, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then add cooking wine, soy sauce, scallion segments, ginger slices, Chen Pi, and wolfberries. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour until the duck meat is tender. Add salt to taste and it is ready to be served. Enjoy the meat and soup together.
Chen Pi Porridge:
20g Chen Pi, 200g rice. Rinse the Chen Pi with warm water and set it aside. Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Add water to the Chen Pi and bring it to a boil over high heat, then simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the Chen Pi and use the remaining liquid to cook the rice. Cook the rice until it is soft and ready to eat.
