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Bingtang xueli (rock sugar stewed pears)
冰糖雪梨 · whole Asian pears gently stewed with rock sugar and goji, a winter cough remedy
When the dry winds of a northern winter bring on sore throats, grandmothers in Beijing and Shandong set a bowl of pear and rock sugar in the steamer, and it is now served as a soothing dessert all over China. Whole Asian pears, hollowed and filled with rock sugar, are slowly stewed until translucent and swimming in their own light syrup. The common mistake is choosing a Western pear that collapses; crisp Asian (nashi or Ya) pears hold their shape and give plenty of juice. Chef's tip: slice off the top as a lid and stew it with the pear; serving the pear with its lid back on is how it is presented at the table.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 Asian pears (nashi)large
- 2 ⅛ oz rock sugarcrushed
- 4 dried red dates (jujubes)slit open
- 1 tbsp dried goji berries
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ tsp chuan bei (fritillary bulb) powder (optional)traditional, from Chinese herb shops
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Wash 4 Asian pears (nashi). Slice off the top 2 cm of each as a lid. Use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop out the core and seeds, leaving a hollow and a 1.5 cm wall all round.
Step 2: Stand the pears in a pan or heatproof bowls that hold them snugly. Fill each hollow with a quarter of 2 ⅛ oz rock sugar, two 4 dried red dates (jujubes) and a few 1 tbsp dried goji berries, plus a pinch of ½ tsp chuan bei (fritillary bulb) powder if using. Put the lids back on.
Step 3: Pour 2 ½ cups water around the pears, cover and simmer on a low heat for 45–50 minutes (or steam the bowls over boiling water for the same time), until a skewer slides through the flesh easily and the pears look slightly translucent.
50 minStep 4: Taste the liquid; it should be gently sweet. Serve warm in bowls, with the syrup spooned around and over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bingtang xueli (rock sugar stewed pears) take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of rock sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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