Houttuynia Tea (Yu Xing Cao Tea)

Why people make this tea

Houttuynia (yu xing cao) is a wild herb that grows abundantly in southern China, and Nourilo remembers seeing entire family plots carpeted with it in the countryside. The name literally means “fishy-smell herb,” because the fresh leaves have a distinctive pungent aroma — though this fades considerably when cooked. Despite its bold smell, it has been used in folk medicine for generations as one of the stronger cooling, anti-inflammatory herbs available in the kitchen pharmacy. It is most often brewed when someone in the household has a hot-type cough — the kind with yellow or thick phlegm, a burning throat, or a chest that feels heavy and congested. Combined with honey, the bitterness softens into something quite drinkable.