Chrysanthemum Herbal Tea

Sunday, 23 May 2010

With 3 events (HDB's 50th Anniversary @ CCK, Papa Mama I Love U, YT GRLs Magic Workshop) to attend & dear hubby is on the afternoon shift overtime today, I prepared a quick lunch b4 going out this morning. Cooked a simple vegetable dish, baked honey chicken wings in the oven & brewed a big pot of cooling Chrysanthemum Herbal Tea for the children to drink thru'out the day.

I always brew this tea when I fry chicken or heaty food.  It helps to relieve sore throat or cough & is my children esp meimei's favourite drink.  At times I would bring a jar down for members during meeting or give a bottle to nearby friends, neighbours when they're having irritable throat.

Here is how I brew the Chrysanthemum Herbal Tea, it's super-duper easy.

Ingredients:

1 Luo han guo (buddha fruit)
3 Gan cao  (licorice root)
abt 3 tbsp Jin yin hua  (honeysuckle bud)
abt 3 tbsp Ginseng roots
abt 1 big scoop / handful  Chrysanthemums
Yellow crystal rock sugar (individual liking, I use 3 Tupperware scoop)
abt 4 litre Water

Method:

1. Rinse all the ingredients except rock sugar.
2. Bring the water to boil in a big pot, crack the luo han guo by pressing it on the table-top or between your palms and add in.
3. Add in the gan cao, ginseng roots & jin yin hua.
4. Then, add the rock sugar & boil for few mins.
5. Add in the chrysanthemum, cover pot and then off flame. Stand for abt 30 mins.
6. Pour over a sieve into a jug to serve.

Note:
1. All the above ingredients are available in Hockhua or any Chinese medical hall.
2. You may use any type of sugar or brown sugar. I like the yellow crystal rock sugar for its caramel taste.
3. My induction hob cooks super fast, you may have to boil slighter longer if you're using the gas stove.

Properties:
1) Luo han guo -  helps relieve sunstroke, moistens the lungs, eliminates phlegm, stops cough, & promotes bowel movements, www.itmonline.org/arts/luohanguo.htm.
2) Gan Cao  - relieves pain & coughing and detoxifies poison *
3) Jin Yin Hua - expels heat & useful in fighting virus & fungus *
4) Chrysanthemum - disperse wind & heat, useful for arterioslerosis & coronary diseases *

* Source: `Nourishing Recipes of 100 Chinese Herbs' bk from Popular