Dried Mulberry and Longan Flesh Tea

Why people make this tea

Mulberry — that slightly translucent, deep-red fruit that appears briefly in early summer — is a humble-looking thing that belies its reputation as one of the finest blood-nourishing foods in Chinese medicine. The dried version is even more concentrated in beneficial compounds. When mulberry is paired with longan flesh (the dried, honey-brown flesh of the longan fruit), you get a combination that is warm, sweet, and deeply sustaining for a nervous system that has been run into the ground. Nourilo introduced this recipe during a period when many people were dealing with job uncertainty and the emotional fallout of a prolonged pandemic — a time when insomnia, anxiety, and a general feeling of being depleted were all too common. The tea does not knock you out; rather, it gently supports the liver and kidneys, nourishes the blood, and over time helps the mind settle. Drink it at midday and again a couple of hours before bed.

Method

1. Rinse both ingredients briefly.
2. Place in a small pot with 1.2–1.5 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces to approximately 900 ml.
4. Drink the tea and eat the softened mulberries and longan flesh — both can be eaten and are worth eating.
5. Alternatively, you may steep rather than simmer: place ingredients in a teapot, steep for 15 minutes in boiling water. The fruit will swell considerably.

Nourilo’s Tips

Dried mulberries come in several colours — the darkest ones (deep red or purple-black, sometimes labelled “black mulberry” or hei sang zao) have the highest anthocyanin content and the strongest therapeutic effect. Lighter or partially ripe mulberries are less effective and may inhibit mineral absorption, so it is worth seeking out the dark variety. For a broader sleep-support formula, Nourilo also likes a soup of Chinese yam, poria spiritus, lotus seed, lily bulb, and longan flesh with lean pork — cooked 2 to 3 times a week.