How old should chenpi be?

Three years is the usual floor for calling it aged; ten years is a different ingredient.

Can I make it at home?

You can dry peel, but home conditions rarely give a clean, mould-free age.

Is the white pith removed?

For long cooking, yes — it turns bitter and grainy.

Home › Ingredients › Aged tangerine peel

Aged tangerine peel

Citrus reticulata

Aged tangerine peel — chenpi — is citrus peel dried and then stored for years. Age softens the bitterness and deepens the aroma. It is used in braises, soups and sweets.

What it is

Thin, dark, leathery peel with a strong citrus scent. Aged peel darkens from orange to near-brown; the surface becomes dull and slightly porous.

How it is used

A thumb-sized piece in a braise, removed before serving.
With hawthorn and rock sugar as a digestive sweet.
In red bean soup, where it cuts the heaviness.

Choosing and keeping

How to choose	Smell is everything: it should be bright and clean, never musty or dusty. Thin peel with visible oil pores is better than thick spongy peel.
How to store	Airtight, dry, away from light. Age is the point — do not seal it in plastic where it can sweat.
When it belongs	All year; irreplaceable in winter braises.
Pairs with	Hawthorn, ginger, red date, Chinese yam.
Where ours comes from	Xinhui, Guangdong — the reference region for aged peel.

Questions

How old should chenpi be?: Three years is the usual floor for calling it aged; ten years is a different ingredient.
Can I make it at home?: You can dry peel, but home conditions rarely give a clean, mould-free age.
Is the white pith removed?: For long cooking, yes — it turns bitter and grainy.

Updated 2026-10-31 · Written and reviewed by the Yaowang Heritage kitchen team. Sources: our own cultivation and processing records; our story for the Taibai Mountain and Tongchuan sites. Ordering and specifications are on the product pages.