It’s been cold, and I have had a lot of patients and people around me getting the flu! The symptoms a lot of people are commonly experiencing are body aches, prominent coughing (dry) that just won’t stop, and becomes worse at night when lying down in bed.
A home remedy of Braised Nashi Pear would relieve the coughing !
In Chinese medicine, the herbal medicines and food share or are of the same source. It is commonly used in the daily meals in most traditional asian families. However, generally, each and every food has its own characteristic and effect in terms of nutrition.
Pears in Chinese medicine are defined as a medicine with cold nature, sweet and slightly sour in flavour. It is used to moisten the lung and cooling for the heart. Relieves thirst and is beneficial for urination and bowel motion.
For common cold and flu, it is effective for wind-heat symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, dry nose and heated breathing and body aches.
Rock Sugar is a purer form of the cane sugar, the sweetness has a nourishing and moistening function. It enters the spleen (digestive system in another words) and lung meridian. Stated in the Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) a classic herbology volume, the yellow rock sugar is tonifying and nourishing.
Often you can find two forms of rock sugar - yellow and white. Yellow ones are usually the purer form, where its not bleached. Usually the bigger crystal ones are the better ones to buy. You can easily find this in most of the asian supermarkets.
But note that this is suitable for people with dry cough, with noticeable symptoms of thirst, dry mouth, heat in breathing or dry nose, itchy sore throat, and if worse may be accompanied symptoms of constipation. (This is because Lung and Large Intestine Meridians are externally-internally interrelated energy channels) These symptoms usually indicate heat symptoms.
I made this for a friend who had been coughing for a week, and was commented how effective it was!
The ingredients are simple- All you need is a Nashi pear and crystallized cane sugar (often you can easily find this in Asian supermarkets). This remedy would help to moisten and nourish your Lung, remove heat and relieve coughing.
Method:
1. Cut the top part of the pear off (about 1/5 to 1/4 of the total height), leave the skin on!
2. Use a teaspoon to remove the core
3. Fill the core with crystalized sugar or Rock sugar
4. Put the top part of of the pear back like a lid
5. Steam on medium heat for about 50 minutes.
6. Serve it Warm!
I feel a bit shy as I was typing the recipe out, because it seems too simple to be writing a recipe for it and to be putting it on the blog. But that's how easy it is!
However, people with a poor digestive system (or we say, weak spleen and stomach) should avoid it, as the nature of the pear is cold, and would easily upset it. Once or twice a week would be more than enough! It shouldn't be eaten as a common dessert.
This remedy can also be used for people who find themselves with a dry throat, or who have been using their voice a lot as well.
So, if you get a chance to try it out, leave a comment below and let me know how it went!