flipSnow Pear with Rock Sugar and Goji Berries
Snow Pear with Rock Sugar and Goji Berries
Why this dish? Guan Yin is invoked to relieve ailments of the body as well as the soul; the healer-monks of temples prepared gentle decoctions to soothe coughs and dry throats. The pear simmered with rock sugar is a remedy of tenderness, in the image of the goddess who "hears the cries of the world" (the meaning of her name).
A whole pear simmered in its own steam with rock sugar and a few red goji berries, until translucent and melting. A warm dessert-remedy that soothes the throat and heart.
You cough, your breath is dry? Come, I know the sweetness that soothes. Take a snow pear, hollow it without breaking, and slip into its heart a few shards of rock sugar and red berries that gladden the eyes. Let it soften in steam until it becomes clear as jade. Drink the warm juice, eat the melting flesh: this is not magic, only patience that heals. I am She-who-listens — and I hear even the cough of the humblest.
- •Pear (Chinese "snow" pear) — one per person (sweet and juicy base)
- •Rock sugar (bīngtáng) — a few shards (sweetness, soothes the throat)
- •Goji berries (gǒuqǐ) — a pinch (color, tonic)
- •Ginger or jujube (optional) — a slice (warmth)
Snow Pear with Rock Sugar and Goji Berries
A whole pear simmered in its own steam with rock sugar and a few red goji berries, until translucent and melting. A warm dessert-remedy that soothes the throat and heart.
Why this dish? Guan Yin is invoked to relieve ailments of the body as well as the soul; the healer-monks of temples prepared gentle decoctions to soothe coughs and dry throats. The pear simmered with rock sugar is a remedy of tenderness, in the image of the goddess who "hears the cries of the world" (the meaning of her name).
You cough, your breath is dry? Come, I know the sweetness that soothes. Take a snow pear, hollow it without breaking, and slip into its heart a few shards of rock sugar and red berries that gladden the eyes. Let it soften in steam until it becomes clear as jade. Drink the warm juice, eat the melting flesh: this is not magic, only patience that heals. I am She-who-listens — and I hear even the cough of the humblest.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pear (Chinese "snow" pear) — one per person (sweet and juicy base)
- Rock sugar (bīngtáng) — a few shards (sweetness, soothes the throat)
- Goji berries (gǒuqǐ) — a pinch (color, tonic)
- Ginger or jujube (optional) — a slice (warmth)
Ingredients
- Firm, juicy pear (nashi or conference) — 1 per person (base)
- Rock sugar (bingtang) or brown sugar — 2 tsp (sweetness)
- Dried goji berries — 1 tsp (tonic)
- Jujube or ginger slice — 1 piece (aroma (optional))
Method
- Cut the top off the pear and partially hollow out the core without piercing the bottom.
- Fill the cavity with rock sugar, goji berries, and if desired, a thin slice of ginger or a jujube.
- Replace the top, stand the pears upright in a heatproof bowl.
- Steam (or cook in a covered bain-marie) for 35 to 45 minutes until the flesh is translucent and tender.
- Serve warm with the syrup that has collected in the bowl; drink the juice first to soothe the throat.
How it was made : The boundary between cuisine and medicine (shíliáo, healing through food) is ancient in China; pears simmered with rock sugar appear in folk tradition to moisten the lungs and calm coughs. Rock sugar and goji berries were known during the Song; steaming, a quintessential Chinese technique, has been used since antiquity.
The contemporary twist : Serve the whole pear, crowned with its top, on a small black bowl to make the red of the goji berries stand out — a remedy that stands like a jewel.
Guan Yin · Charactorium
