Homemade Dried Mandarin Peels (陳皮)

Dried mandarin peel / dried tangerine peel (陳皮 in Chinese, literally means old mandarin peel) has been widely used in Chinese cooking for hundred of years. We like to add a little piece of it into our soups, congee and even in desserts. It’s very versatile that can be used in many savoury or sweet dishes. Its subtle fragrance will enhance the flavour and take the dish up a notch.

My mum used to make her own dried mandarin peel. Most of the Chinese people from Hong Kong find that the fragrance of Xinhui mandarin (新會柑), from the province of Xin Hui, China, is the best and benefits our health, thus it’s commonly used as Chinese herbals. The flesh of Xinhui mandarin is too sour to eat, yet people still are willing to get heaps when it’s in season at a quite expensive price, just for the skin.

There’s no way to get any Xinhui mandarins here in Australia. I tried to make my own dried mandarin peels with different kinds of mandarin from local produce, and found the aroma of each is quite different. Up to now, I’m quite pleased with the Imperial mandarin that is most similar to the fragrance of Xinhui mandarin. Best still, the flesh of Imperial mandarin is very sweet. Nothing would be wasted then.

Homemade Dried Mandarin Peels (Printable recipe)
By Christine's Recipes
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10mins + 3 days or more for sun drying
Yield: any amount you preferred

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Imperial mandarins

Method:

1. Clean mandarin thoroughly and pat dry. Use a knife to run around from top almost to the bottom and then peel open.
2. Place the peels under the direct sun for about 3 days or more, until dried thoroughly, and become shatteringly crisp. Turn to another side once in a while during the sun-drying process. If you’re living in an area without much direct sun, you can place the peels in a low oven to dehydrate them.
3. Store them in an air-tight jar or container. Place in a cool place. After one or two years, the peel will turn dark. You can use it to make any dish you like. The longer the mandarin peel is kept, the more fragrant it will develop.

Notes：

• The flesh of Imperial mandarin is very sweet, not like the Xinhui (新會柑) that are too sour. You might test try with any kinds of mandarin that comes in handy from your local produce in order to find your own favourite.
• When it comes in using any citrus peels, try to go for organic as you don’t like the pesticide or fungicide residues. Or you can wash them thoroughly in warm water with a bit of detergent, or soak in salted water for a while. That said brushing a bit of baking soda on the skin before cleansing will work.
• The white inner skin tastes slightly bitter. I often scrape off the white layer after soaking it to be softened, then cook it with other ingredients.