Fresh Cogongrass Root, Lotus Node & Pear Drink

Why people make this drink

When autumn arrives, the air turns drier and children who are prone to heat can start getting nosebleeds. In traditional food therapy, this is understood as blood heat — too much internal fire drying out the delicate nasal membranes. The good news is that the first response is simple: keep the child calm, hold their head upright, and plug the bleeding nostril gently with a small roll of clean cotton wool. A cold wet cloth pressed on the back of the neck helps too. Once things settle, a drink like this one can be made to help cool things down.

This drink has been a staple of Cantonese grandmothers for generations. It’s mild enough for toddlers yet effective enough for adults, and has a pleasantly sweet, slightly earthy flavor most children will accept willingly.

Method

1. Wash the cogongrass root and cut into short sections. Wash the lotus nodes and chop them finely. Wash the pear, remove the core, and cut into chunks.
2. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 1.2 L of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes until reduced to about 600 ml.
3. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved. Divide and drink throughout the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

When buying lotus rhizome, choose a piece with plenty of nodes — these are the sections where the cylinders connect. Nodes that are sliced off and dried can be kept as a handy pantry item for future use.

Fresh cogongrass root is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and online. If it cannot be sourced, you can use dried cogongrass root (mao gen, dry form) — about 20 g (19 g) from a Chinese herb shop.

For adults, increase the lotus nodes to 3–4 pieces. The drink is suitable for the whole family.