American Ginseng and Dendrobium Tea

Why people make this tea

When the weather turns dry and work piles up, and we add too much spicy, grilled, fried or hotpot food, it is easy to feel that “lit up” dryness — a parched mouth, gritty eyes, mouth ulcers, bad breath or constipation. This American ginseng and dendrobium tea is traditionally taken to clear that heat, nourish the yin, promote fluids and brighten tired eyes — a gentle steep for anyone who runs hot and dry.

Method

1. Rinse the fresh dendrobium and slice it.
2. Put the dendrobium and ginseng slices in a pot, pour in boiling water and steep about 10 minutes. Re-steep until the flavour fades.

Nourilo’s Tips

The fresh dendrobium can be eaten after steeping — it has a pleasantly sticky, fragrant quality. This tea is especially good for those who are depleted after surgery or long illness. If you only have dried dendrobium, use 11 g; for a steeped tea it is best ground into powder, otherwise dried dendrobium needs at least half an hour of simmering to draw out the flavour, while the ginseng should only be added at the end.