The fragrance of sun-dried orange peel floats in the air at Reclamation Street Market in Hong Kong. It is a tangy, acid fragrance that opens lungs and somehow manages to make you feel all healthy and positive...

The fragrance of sun-dried orange peel wafts in the air at Reclamation Street Market in Hong Kong. It is a tangy, acid fragrance that opens lungs and somehow, manages to make you feel all healthy and fresh.

Chenpi (陈皮) is used as a seasoning in the regional cuisine, as an essential ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine, as well as an air-freshener, a snack and way more.

As shown above, the tangerine peels are sun-dried until all the moisture is gone. The value of these dried orange peels depend on how long they have been stored and dried: in theory, it is said that the longer, the better (well, more expensive).

A similar product is the preserved mandarin peel (九制陈皮), which is dried and candied tangerine peels, which gives them a bittersweet flavor. It is used both as a snack as well as to clear throats or cure coughing.

Everything has a last use in here China!