From a simple snack to a key ingredient in countless recipes, oranges are a versatile fruit found in kitchens around the world. Beyond their culinary uses, they also offer a wealth of medicinal benefits. Today, we're focusing on the navel orange, a variety that was discovered in the 19th century as the result of a natural mutation in an orange tree.
As we head deeper into the winter months, coughs and colds become more common, and one of our favorite remedies is a salted, steamed navel orange.This traditional recipe has been used for centuries to alleviate coughs and loosen phlegm. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), both foods, and ailments are classified as either "cold" or "hot." Maintaining a balance of these energies, called qi, is essential for overall health and wellbeing.
By incorporating this simple, effective remedy when you're feeling under the weather, not only can you soothe your cough, but you'll also help balance your qi while supporting both your respiratory health and vitality. Please find our simple and delicious recipe below. If you prefer a visual description of how to prepare this dish, this video from Zi Qi on YouTube may be useful:
Steamed Navel Orange
Ingredients:
Navel orange*
Sea salt
Directions:
Soak the orange in water mixed with tsp salt for 20 minutes to clean the rind.
Slice the top of the orange off and set aside.
Sprinkle with salt, and puncture the orange with a fork or skewer.
Replace the top of the orange and put the orange into an empty bowl.
Using a basket, steam the orange for 25 minutes.**
Peel the orange and eat the flesh and drink the juice that collects in the bowl.
* Using a navel orange is imperative to this recipe. Do not substitute with any other citrus.
**The orange can be steamed in the microwave, but we strongly recommend steaming it on the stove top for best results.