Chenpi, chen pi, or chimpi is sun-dried

mandarin orange The mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-colou ...

peel used as a traditional seasoning in Chinese cooking and

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

. It is aged by storing them dry. The taste is first slightly sweet, but the aftertaste is pungent and bitter. According to Chinese herbology, its attribute is warm. Chenpi has a common name, ‘ju pi’ or mandarin orange peel. Chenpi contains volatile oils which include the chemical compounds

nobiletin Nobiletin is a flavonoid isolated from citrus peels. It is an ''O''-methylated flavone that has the activity to rescue bulbectomy-induced memory impairment. Potential pharmacology Nobiletin was found to potentially inhibit cartilage degradation ...

hesperidin Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside found in citrus fruits. Its aglycone form is called hesperetin. Its name is derived from the word " hesperidium", for fruit produced by citrus trees. Hesperidin was first isolated in 1828 by French chemist ...

, neohesperidin, tangeridin, citromitin, synephrine,

carotene The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin ''carota'', "carrot") is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the ex ...

, cryptoxanthin,

inositol Inositol, or more precisely ''myo''-inositol, is a carbocyclic sugar that is abundant in the brain and other mammalian tissues; it mediates cell signal transduction in response to a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors and ...

, vitamin B₁, and vitamin C. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine uses the alcohol extracts of several citrus peels, including those extracted from

and

bitter orange Bitter orange, Seville orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange is the citrus tree ''Citrus'' × ''aurantium'' and its fruit. It is native to Southeast Asia and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. It is probably a cross be ...

Identification

Since the products produced in Xinhui are purported to be the best quality, it is often called Xinhui Pi or Guang Chen Pi. It is normally cut into shreds before serving and presenting in the raw form.

History

The practice of using citrus peels in traditional Chinese medicine originated from

Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...

and has lasted for seven hundred years. Chenpi was of high popularity through the

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han pe ...

and Qing Dynasties. It was shipped to foreign provinces by businessmen from

Xinhui Xinhui, alternately romanized as Sunwui and also known as Kuixiang, is an urban district of Jiangmen in Guangdong, China. It grew from a separate city founded at the confluence of the Tan and West Rivers. It has a population of about 735,50 ...

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...

. A famous Qing doctor named Ye Gui (1667-1746) prescribed Chenpi as one of the ingredients in ‘Erchen Tang’, a decoction consisting of two old drugs. Chenpi business brought wealth to Xinhui peasants and it also extended to food processing, logistics areas which forms a food production chain. However, there was a decline of Chenpi business in the 1990s until late 2002 when Chenpi farmers helped set up the Chenpi Industrial Association with support from Xinhui Agriculture Bureau and Business Federation, and Chenpi has regained its popularity since.

Production method

Xinhui chenpi is famous for its special production technique, where emphasis is put on peeling and storage methods. People can also do it at home.

Preparation

Prior to consumption, chenpi is soaked and rinsed with cold water until it becomes soft; the soaking time is recommended to be no longer than half an hour with a view to retaining its flavor. Afterwards, the white pith is gently scraped off from the softened peel.

Uses

Cuisine

Some

tong sui ''Tong sui'' (; ), also known as ''tim tong'', is a collective term for any sweet, warm soup or custard served as a dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese cuisine. ''Tong sui'' are a Cantonese specialty and many varieties are rarely foun ...

desserts such as red bean soup will use this ingredient occasionally. Chenpi is used to make the Hunanese dish orange chicken. It can be also used for other kinds of food and beverages such as porridge, duck, pigeon, mooncakes, green bean soup, jam, and wine. Chenpi-infused tea can also be prepared. In Japanese cuisine, chenpi (pronounced "chimpi" in Japanese) is a common ingredient in shichimi tōgarashi, a traditional spice mix.

Medicine

Chenpi is a common ingredient in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...

, where it is believed that it regulates ch'i (or qi), fortifies the spleen, eliminates dampness, improves abdominal distension, enhances

digestion Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into small water-soluble food molecules so that they can be absorbed into the watery blood plasma. In certain organisms, these smaller substances are absorbed through the small intest ...

, and reduces

phlegm Phlegm (; , ''phlégma'', "inflammation", " humour caused by heat") is mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that produced by the nasal passages. It often refers to respiratory mucus expelled by coughing, otherwise known as sput ...

. There is a well-known Chenpi-derived medicine named ‘snake gallbladder and tangerine peel powder’. The powder is used for heart disharmonies.

Precautions

Traditional Chinese medicine urges caution in using Chenpi when red symptoms occur such as red tongue or redness in the face.

Availability

Whole citrus peel is readily available from most herbal markets and specialty food stores. Some stores also sell citrus peel powder or capsules. Starting from around 2010, extensive land development for commercial and residential use in China has caused the decrease of farmland, especially in Xinhui, affecting the supply of Xinhui citrus and consequently Chenpi production. This in turn has contributed to a steep increase in the price of Chenpi. Based on data in late 2014, Xinhui Chenpi aged one year costs around 140 HKD per kilogram while those aged 10 years cost 600 to 800 HKD per kilo. Chenpi stored for more than 20 years can reach as nearly as 24,000 RMB per kilogram. 65-year Chenpi even costs 23,000 RMB per

tael Tael (),"Tael" entry
at the ...

. Wholesale price of Chenpi costs 40 to 70 HKD per pound.

References

{{Cantonese cuisine American Chinese cuisine Cantonese cuisine Dried fruit Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine Citrus dishes