How to Make Chen Pi Dried Mandarin Peel 陳皮做法
I remembered this year to try making my own Chen Pi Dried Mandarin Peels 陳皮. Chen Pi is, after all, what the Cantonese would call an essential in the Chinese kitchen, the flavor of this humble dried tangerine peel is out of this world unique, based in citrus but much, much more nuanced, with an aromatic slightly bitter taste that whets the appetite and prepares the palate for more.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 21 min
- Yield
- 30 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 30 Xinhui mandarins 新會柑
- 1 yard wire or string, approx 1 m long
Instructions
- 1
Wash and dry mandarins thoroughly.
- 2
Score the mandarin peels into three equal sections starting from the bottom of the mandarin, leaving 1/2 to 3/4 inch unscored as you near the top stem side of the mandarin. Score lightly, trying not to cut into the flesh of the fruit.
- 3
Peel each section of the mandarin peel slowly along the score lines until the entire peel can be removed from the fruit.
- 4
Repeat for all the mandarins.
- 5
Prepare your wire or string for stringing up the peels for drying. If you use a wire you can just poke the wire end straight through the tender peel. If you use string use a needle to poke a whole in the peels to fit your string through, or use a needle threaded with string.
- 6
For each peel poke through the peel at two spots. After each peel is added, knot a simple knot after it so that the peels will stay separated. If using wire just crimp the wire a bit and the peel will stay in place.
- 7
Hang in a well ventilated, sunny spot for a couple of weeks until completely dry. Once completely and truly dry you can store in an air tight jar or bag in a dark cool environment. You can use them once they are dried but optimal flavor is achieved as the chen pi ages, so it is recommended to wait of at least 3 years for good flavor.