Green Olive, Mandarin Cake & Dried Pear Tea

Why people make this tea

This is one of the most widely beloved Cantonese family teas for protecting the throat during seasonal infections. Green olives (qing lan) are a different fruit from the Mediterranean olive — a fresh, slightly astringent stone fruit with the highest calcium content of any common fruit, traditionally used to clear throat heat, ease phlegm, and even help with food poisoning. Mandarin cake (ju bing) is a preserved whole mandarin — moist, sweet, and packed with dietary fibre and pectin — used for clearing congestion and regulating digestive qi. Dried pear is gentler than fresh pear; the low-temperature drying process removes some of the pear’s cooling nature while keeping its moistening effect on the lungs and skin. Together these three ingredients make a tea that is easy to prepare, pleasant to drink, and well-suited to the whole family.

Method

1. Rinse the green olives and crack them lightly with the back of a knife — this helps them release their flavour and active compounds.
2. Rinse the mandarin cake briefly and cut each piece in half.
3. Rinse the dried pear slices and remove any seeds.
4. Place all ingredients in a pot with 1.8–2.1 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, reducing to about 900 ml.
6. Drink warm or at room temperature.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a gentle, mildly warming tea that can be taken regularly to maintain throat health and boost general immunity — not just during illness. The mandarin cake is mildly warming in nature, so it will not cause coldness in the body. If you cannot find mandarin cake, golden monk fruit (half a fruit) makes an excellent substitute. For diabetics, monk fruit is the better option as it does not raise blood sugar. Those with a gastric ulcer should reduce the olive quantity by half.