Burdock Cassia Honeysuckle Goji Chrysanthemum Tea

Why people make this tea

Spring, in traditional Chinese wellness thinking, is the season associated with the liver. Late nights, overwork, and too much fried or spicy food are believed to generate “liver heat” — a pattern that can show up as bad breath, a bitter taste in the mouth, red or itchy eyes, short-temperedness, difficulty sleeping, and constipation. Nourilo recommends this five-ingredient tea as a gentle seasonal habit for spring — clearing accumulated heat, supporting the liver, and giving the eyes a rest.

The flavour is refreshing: slightly bitter from the cassia seeds, floral from the chrysanthemum and honeysuckle, earthy from the burdock, and sweet from the goji berries. It can be brewed as a pot of tea or packed into individual reusable tea bags for convenience at work.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly.
2. Combine with 1.2 L of water in a small saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Strain and drink warm. The same herbs can be re-steeped once more.

For office use: Pack all the ingredients into a large reusable tea bag. Steep in a large mug of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Re-steep until the flavour fades.

Nourilo’s Tips

If you are steeping this as a cold-brew or hot-steep tea rather than boiling it, dry-roast the cassia seeds first in a dry pan until fragrant — this brings out the nutty flavour and makes the tea more pleasant. The tea keeps its fragrance well and can be re-steeped multiple times. The whole family can enjoy this tea, with the exceptions noted above. Cold-constitution individuals who still want something similar can remove the burdock and cassia seeds and add a dried mandarin cake and a piece of tangerine peel instead.