Recipe: Stewed Pear (Chinese version) 中式炖梨

This is a dessert that I cooked for a gathering at AA and EM's place. They all liked it; i.e. the 2 Japanese ladies, the Romanian, PY (my PRC GNIE classmate) and the French couple AA and EM. In addition, I shared some with HC (my Canadian friend who originate from Hong Kong) who liked it after added a bit of sugar to further sweeten the dessert.

Note: This dessert is supposedly good for coughs (thanks to the pears) and nourishes the complexion. It can be served hot or cold. Some like it hot, some like it cold.

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Stewed Pear (Chinese version) 中式炖梨

Ingredients for 10 servings:

5 pears. Barlett, Peckham, Anjou or French Butter preferred.

1 clump of Snow-Ear fungus 雪耳 Note: Snow-Ear fungus 雪耳 is preferred over white-wood-ear fungus 白木耳 because the folds are tighter and its texture is softer when cooked.

5 honeyed dates 蜜枣

Ground cinnamon.

Sugar or sweetener to taste. I used about 3-5 tablespoons of honey. Molasses can be used if preferred.

Snow-ear fungus

Ingredients in a pot, before cooking.

1. Wash the pears. Remove and discard the core. Chop into small chunks, e.g. 1.5cm x 1.5cm x 3cm. Put into the pot, with the skin on.

2. Rinse the snow-ear fungus. Chop into small chunks, e.g. 1cm x 1cm x 1cm. Add into the pot.

3. De-seed the honeyed dates. Dice and add into the put.

4. Add about half of the sweetener. Add a few shakes of cinnamon (do not add too much, or it would overpower the pears). Stir to mix.

5. Add around 5 bowls of water, enough to cover the ingredients with about 2-3cm extra. Slow-cook for around 2 hours. Shorten cooking time if the pears are very ripe; conversely cook for 3 hours if the pears are very raw. Ensure that the ingredients are covered by the water, top-up with more water if too much is boiled off.

6. When cooked, stir and taste a tablespoon of the dessert. If needed, add more sweetener and/or ground cinnamon. Be careful not to add too much sweetener/cinnamon that the subtle flavours of the pear is overpowered.

7. Serve hot. Or if preferred, scoop into a container. Leave to cool; and when cool, put into the refrigerator. Serve cold.

Stewed Pear (Chinese version)

-- ready to be served.