For An Itchy, Tickly Throat with No Cough

Licorice tea

Chinese licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis, or gan cao) tastes good and benefits all the body organs. It is particularly soothing for the lungs and throat. You can buy the thinly sliced dried root in plastic packages in Chinese markets.

6-7 pieces of dried licorice root
tea of your choice
3 cups (850ml) water

Put 6-7 pieces of Chinese licorice into a teapot with some tea of your choice. Bring water to boil and pour into the pot. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before drinking.

Enjoy!

For Coughs

White Radish Tea

white radishes are often called daikon in western supermarkets. Use fresh white radish for this tea. The flavor is quite strong ao you will only need a small piece. You will also need some good quality sea salt.

1 in (2.5cm) long piece white radish
tea of your choice
sea salt
3 cups (850 ml) water

cut and peel a 1 in (2.5cm) long piece of radish and discard the skin. roughly chop into small pieces and put in a teapot with the tea and a little sea salt. Bring water to boil and pour over the ingredients int he teapot. Cover the pot leave to sit 2-3 mintues before drinking

For Colds with Slight Feverish Headache

Sweet Ginger tea

Choose old, stringy ginger root and golden rock sugar from a Chinese markert for this soothing tea.

6-7 slices old ginger root
green tea
rock sugar
3 cups (850ml) water

wash the ginger root and cut 6-7 slices about 1/8in (3mm) thick across the grain. Put the ginger root and green tea into a teapot. Bring the water to a boil pour into the pot and add the rock sugar. Stir briefly then cover the pot. Let sit for 2-3 minutes before drinking.

Enjoy!

For The Common Cold

Ginger and spring onion tea

Choose-old, stringy root ginger rather than a young, juicy piece, Spring Onions than can be as thin as a pencil or upt o 1 in" (2.5cm) thick. Use one large or two small spring onions.

4-5 slices old ginger root
2 small spring onions, white parts only
green tea
3 cups (850ml) water

Wash the ginger root and cut 4-5 slices abotu 1/8 in (3mm) thick across the grain.
Wash the spring onions and cut off the green leaves - you only need the white parts.
Slice the white parts in half lengthwise and put the ginger and white onion into the teapot with some green tea leaves. Bring water to a boil and pour over the ingredients. Cover and let sit for 2-3 minutes before drinking.

*you can make this tea more potent by adding a little good quailty sea salt.

Enjoy!

To Replenish Blood Chi

Sesame and mushroom tea

this recipe replenishes blood chi and softens and smoothes the skin. You will need black not golden seseme seeds. Use wood ear dried mushrooms, which are black on one side and beige on the other. Do not confuse them with clud ear mushrooms, which are much smaller, black on one side, and white on the other. Wood ear mushrooms are much more nourishing then cloud ears. Wood ear mushrooms and black seseme seeds are available in Chinese markets.

1 small teapoon black seseme seeds
2 sq. in (5 sq cm) piece of dried wood ear mushroom
tea of your choice
3 cups (850ml) water

Put the seseme seeds and piece of wood ear mushroom into a mortar and grind them together with a pestle. Alternatatively, you can quickly whiz them in a food processor. Put the mixture into a pot and the the tea (tea leaves)of your choice. Bring water to boil and pour it over all the ingredients. Let sit for 2-3 minutes before drinking. Afterward you may eat the reside with a spoon if desired

To Restore The Blood

Chinese red date tea

The chinese red date (Hung Tsao, Da Zao, Da Tsao, jujube, ziziphus jujube) is commeonly used in a restorative tea for afterbirth or mentruation or for anyone who has suffered blood loss.
Red dates are native to china, Japan, India, and Afghanistan and are not like the brown Egyptain sugary dates. the are a very bright red color, small and oval-shaped with very shiny, deeply wrinkled skin like a walnut. they taste sweet but not too sweet. You can purchase them in Chinese markets in plastic packages. Make sure you remove the stones for this tea (it is sometimes possible to purchase stoneless dates).

6-8 Chinese red dates
tea of your choice
rock sugar to taste
3 cups (850ml) water

Pick out 6-8 dates rinse them in cold water. Carefully cut them in half and remove the stone. Put them into a pot with the tea of your choice. Boil the water and pour it over the dates and tea. Add a little rock sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes before drinking

To Strengthen Immune System

Shrimp Tea

You can purchase tiny, pink dried shrimps in plastic bags from Chinese markets. Maybe some fish markets as well. Avoid any that are grayish-brown, as they will not be fresh. Once you've opened the package you can store in the fridge.

30 dried shrimps (approximately)
tea of your choice
3 cups (850ml) water

Rinse the shrimps well in cold water. Put them with the lea leaves in a saucepan. Bring some water to boil and pour over the shrimps and tea. Cover 2-3 minutes and serves after drinkning the tea of course you can eat the shrimps.

Enjoy!

Tonic Teas

Peanut and Ginger tea

This is a nice restoring drink to have when your exhausted from overwork, especially hard, manual work or when your feeling run down.

You should use unsalted, raw peanuts which still have their skins. Look for stringy, old but not dried root ginger rather than plump, young juicy ginger.

20 raw peanuts
5-6 slices of root ginger
tea of your choice
3 cups (850ml) water

wash the ginger and cut abotu 5-6 slices across the root, each about 1/8" (3mm) thick. Roughly chop these slices. Take about 20 raw peanuts with their skins and use a pestle and mortar or food processor to grind them. Alternaatively you can use a knife. Put the ground nuts and chopped ginger into a teapot and add the tea leaves . Bring water to a fast boil and pour into the pot. Let stand for 2-3 minutes before drinking


Lychee and Plum tea

this delightful fruit tea not only pleases the palate but also boosts energy levels. However only take this take twice a week as lychees have very strong yang energy. The plum used is a perserved plum that you will find in Chinese stores and looks simular to a date. You need to use fresh lychee and rock sugar.
Lychees are in season from May through August. You can spice up the flavor of the tea if you want by adding a little fresh ginger root.

1 fresh lychee
1 preserved plum
1 small piece rock sugar
1 thin slice giner root (optional)
1 1/2 cups (430ml) water

Cut the plum in half and remove the stone. Peel the lychee and remove the stone. Put the lychee, plum, sugar, and giner into a large Chinese mug. Fill up the mug with boiling water, stir quickly and put the lid on. Let stand for 2-3 minutes, stir then drink.
If you'd like you can add a pinch of green tea to freshen the taste. You can also top of th emug with more water and eat the fruit after you finished the tea.


Dragon eye tea

dragon eye is a direct translation of the Mandarin name of this fruit which is called 'longan' in cantonese. Longan looks simular to lychnees in size and shape but have smooth pal brown skins. Lime lychees they are in season from May through August. They are highly prized in chinese medicine as they help restore blood chi. They can be used fresh or dried. When fresh, the flesh is white, when dried the skin is darker brown and the flesh a rich dark brown. the flesh is sweet and fragrant. Whenever you use fresh or dried always remove the skin.
To prepare the tea follow the same recipe as the lychee and plum tea only use a dragon eye instead of lychee.


Dry-fried rice tea

This energy-boosting tea has the ability to balance the hot (yang) and cool (yin) energy in the body and is used for people with too mcuh yin who need more yang. It is not recommended for yang people.
It has a good nutty flavor and once prepared you can keep the dried ingredients in an airtight jar. In Japan it is so popular that youc an purchase it ready-mixed.

1 cup of long grain rice
1 cup of green tea leaves
3 cups (850ml) water

Heat the wok and tip in the rice. You do not need any oil. Stir fry the rice until the grains are light golden and smell toasty. allow the rice to cool and then add the green tea leaves and mix gently.
To make the tea, put five teaspoonfuls of it into the teapot and add boiling water.
Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before drinking.
You can refill the teapot with freshly boiled water once or twice more.


Eight treasure tea

This very healthy, energy-boosting tes can be taken twice a week. The eight ingredients ate the treasures of this recipe. they should be available from a good Chinese market or herbalist.

green tea
2 white chrysanthemums
1 small piece of dried mandarin orange peel
1 longan or dragon eye (fresh or dried)
1 red date
1 tiny piece of ginger root
1 dried medlar berry (gou qi zi)
1 piece rock sugar
1 sultana or dried apple slice
1 1/2 cups (430ml) water

put allthe ingredients into a large lidded mug and pour boiling water
allow to sit for about 3 minutes before drinking. You can refill your mug with freshly boiled water two or three times

Tea for Reducing Internal Heat

Yellow Chrysanthemum Tea

Waking up inthe morning with a sticky around your eyes or poor vison can be an indication that you have to much heat in the body. Chrysanthemum tea can help reduce heat in the body, clear the eyes. You can purchase the flowers dried from Chinese markets or even herbalists. Be sure to pick upt he yellow chrysanthemums not the white ones which are used to treat sun stroke. Theres three methods os making this tea with the following ingredients.

10-20 yellow chrysanthemum flowers
3 (850ml) water

Method one

Boil the water and warm the teapot. ADd the flowers to the heated pot. When the water has reached a fast boil pour it over the flowers. Let stand for 2-3 minutes before drinking
note: (you can strain the tea into a cup before drinking, the flowers tend to break up and tend to float too)

Method two

For a fuller taste, brew some leaves with the chrysanthemums. To make the tea, add the flowers and the tea of your choice to the pot the proceed as before

Method three

If you have a sweeter tooth you can add rock sugar to this tea. rock sugar can also be purchased at Chinese markets. It has a very pleasant taste and it lovely golden color. If the lumps of sugar are to large you can place them into a little baggie or roll in a towel and hit with a hammer or spoon to break them into smaller pieces.

Wash and drain the flowers put them into a saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. Add the rock sugar and cook for another 3 minutes. Allow the tea to cool slightly, drain and drink.

You can use the flowers twice to make this tea. The flavor will be a little weaker the second time, but the tea will retain it's properties.

Enjoy!

Tea for High Blood Pressure

Banana tea

As we age, it's usual for our blood pressure to rise. It can also be a hereditary condition or be caused by too much salt and/or animal fat in our diet or an excessive alcohol consumption.

This tea can be taken daily by anyone 45 years old or others who suffer from high blood pressure. The banana taste maybe quite strong and will scent the teapot it's best to use a mug to make this tea, preferable a mug (a Chinese mug) with a lid

Need
1 banana
any green tea
1 1/2 cups (430ml) water

In China bananas are very small so a whole one maybe used. In the West bananas are very large so you only need to peel and use about 1 inch (2.5cm) for each mug.


Peel & cut banana off and mash and put into the mug. Add green tea. Bring water to a fast boil and pour opver the tea & banana. Cover and let stand for 2-3 minutes before drinking.


Lotus Mint tea

the lotus nut is a seed from the lutos plant (nelumbo nucifera) which is also a symbol used in Buddhism. these fat round nuts are found inside the round seed pod which has a flat top with large round holes in it. The nuts sort of look like peanuts but have brown a skin, the skin is dry and taste like leather. You can buy nuts in plastic packages buy with the skins on them.

12-15 lotus nuts
any green tea
3 cups (850ml) water

Warm the pot and add nuts & green tea. Bring water to fast boil pour over the nuts & tea. Cover and let stand for 5 mintues before drinking.

Another method to make this tea.
Put the nuts into a small saucepan with 3 cups of cold water. Bring to boil and allow to boil for 1-2 mintues. Remove pan from heat and add green tea. Let stand another 1-2 mintues before drinking

Tea For Weightloss

Oolong Tea

from its first discovery, tea has been appreciated as an aid to weightloss. All types share this quality but oolong tea is superior to them all in this respect. The effect of this tea is to reduce fat aorund the body organs. it shoul be taken two - three times a day for gradual weight loss. (I wouldn't suggest to do more then 7 a day)

use 2 tounded teaspoons of Oolong tea
3 cups (850ml)of water

Boil the water, rinse out the post with hot water then add the Oolong to the empty heated pot. When the water has reached a fast boil pour over the leaves and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes. Pour and allow to cool slightly before drinking

Enjoy!

Feel free to share your experiences

Wuyi Oolong Weiner Appetizer

An Appetizer both adults & kids of all ages tested and approved for all occasions!

Ingredients:

1 package of cocktail weiners or 2 packages of hot dogs (cut ends off and cut into inch or so pieces

1/2 18 oz bottle of BBQ Sauce (flavors works great, honey or brown sugar) (can also be subsitted with cocktail sauce)

1/2 32 oz bottle Concord Grape Jelly

1 small white or yellow onion quartered and sliced

1/4 cup strongly brewed Wuyi Oolong tea
1/4 cup strongly brewed Gunpowder Tea

Directions:

place in a sauce pan or crock pot (if making a larger batch) weiners, onions and strongly brewed tea, work on low-med heat stir continusley for about 5 minutes once onions start to soften a bit and the weiners soak up some tea, add the remaining ingredients continuing stiring until all ingredients are blended well.
turn heat down and simmer

May be served with warm homemade bread or brown bread with butter. Is a great addition to any occaision

Enjoy!