Roasted Black Rice & Gynostemma Tea (Hei Mi Jiao Gu Lan Cha)

Why people make this tea

Gynostemma (jiao gu lan) is sometimes called the “herb of immortality” in southern China and Vietnam, where it grows wild and has been used as a folk health tea for generations. Modern research has identified it as containing saponins structurally similar to some ginsenosides — the active compounds in ginseng — along with flavonoids, polysaccharides, and an impressive range of trace minerals and amino acids. Traditional Chinese medicine classifies it as mildly cooling, with the capacity to calm the mind, clear heat and toxin, and support qi. Paired with dry-roasted black rice — rich in anthocyanins and traditionally associated with blood nourishment and immune support — this tea strikes a balance between cooling and warming, making it comfortable for daily use. It is particularly valued by people looking for a simple food-therapy option to support general cancer prevention and immune health.

Method

1. Dry-roast the black rice in a pan over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5–7 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool fully before storing in a glass jar.
2. When ready to brew: combine the roasted black rice and gynostemma leaf in a teapot.
3. Pour in freshly boiled water.
4. Steep for 10 minutes, then drink.
5. Refill with boiling water and steep again until the flavour fades.

Nourilo’s Tips

When buying black rice, quality matters. Good black rice has shiny grains with a deep, lustrous colour and uniform size — very few broken pieces or cracked grains. When you scratch the outer layer, the interior should be white. If the cracked cross-section is also black, the rice may be artificially dyed. Gynostemma tea is available at shops selling herbal teas, and at Chinese medicine retailers like Yue Hwa; it is sometimes labelled under its folk name “jin sang zi.”

Those with a cold constitution can add a few pieces of dried longan or goji berries to the pot for balance. Black rice can also be combined with black beans (if you have pre-roasted some) — together they make a particularly nourishing brew.