Cogongrass Root Sugarcane Water Chestnut Corn Water

Why people make this drink

This is one of those Cantonese “cooling drinks” (liang cha) that families make instinctively on hot days or when someone in the household is not drinking enough water. When children’s urine turns deep yellow or orange — a sign they are not hydrated enough — or when adults feel that vague urgency and discomfort that suggests the bladder is inflamed and overheated, this four-ingredient brew is the classic household remedy.

What makes it stand out from plain lemonade or water is the combination: cogongrass root (bai mao gen) has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries as a diuretic and heat-clearing herb; sugarcane and water chestnut provide gentle sweetness and add their own cooling quality; and the corn, including its silk (which is actually a well-known traditional diuretic in its own right), ties everything together. The result is a genuinely pleasant drink that tastes like a natural sugar-cane juice.

Method

1. Rinse the cogongrass root thoroughly.
2. Split the sugarcane sections in half lengthways.
3. Peel the water chestnuts and rinse.
4. Remove the corn husks; keep the silk attached. Cut the cobs into sections.
5. Combine all ingredients with 2.4 L of water in a pot.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until reduced to 1.2–1.5 L.
7. Drink the liquid; the water chestnuts can also be eaten.

Nourilo’s Tips

Any variety of corn works in this recipe — white sweet corn or regular yellow corn. If the corn silk has been removed before you buy it, the soup still works well; the silk is a bonus. For children with concentrated urine, this drink is far more appealing than plain water. For adults with mild urinary tract irritation, three to four consecutive portions over a few days is a typical course. If symptoms do not improve or worsen — especially in children — please see a doctor, as urinary tract infections can progress to kidney infection if untreated.