Prepared Mulberry Mistletoe, Black Soybean and Nan Zao Sweet Tea

Why people make this sweet tea

Steam-prepared mulberry mistletoe — available at Chinese herb shops and Asian grocers — costs a touch more than the raw kind, but it cooks up with far less bitter astringency. Mulberry mistletoe is a wonderfully versatile, hardy and inexpensive tonic: traditionally it nourishes the liver and kidney, strengthens the sinews and bones, dispels wind-damp, and supports the blood. Simmered with green-kernel black soybeans and nan zao into a sweet tea, it is a gentle everyday comfort.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Good for blood-deficient types: sore weak lower back and knees, fading vision, low milk after childbirth.
• Suitable in pregnancy — mulberry mistletoe is traditionally settling for a restless pregnancy.
• Those with high uric acid should not use the black soybeans; use lotus seeds instead.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Prepared mulberry mistletoe (zhi sang ji sheng): traditionally nourishes liver and kidney, strengthens sinew and bone, dispels wind-damp and supports a settled pregnancy.
• Green-kernel black soybean (qing ren hei dou): the bright green-fleshed kind is valued for richer nutrients than ordinary black soybeans.
• Nan zao (black dates): warm and sweet, they round and enrich the brew.

Ingredients (1 pot / 3–4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Prepared mulberry mistletoe	~38 g	soaked, washed
Green-kernel black soybeans	~38 g	soaked, washed
Nan zao	6	rinsed
Rock sugar	to taste	added at the end

Method

1. Separately soak and wash the mulberry mistletoe and the black soybeans; rinse the nan zao.
2. Simmer everything in 8 bowls of water for 1 hour.
3. Add rock sugar, stir until dissolved, and serve.

Bro Niu’s tips

This is a fragrant, tasty sweet tea fine for men, women, young and old to drink regularly. The bright-skinned green-kernel black soybeans carry more vitamins and trace elements than ordinary black soybeans — but anyone with high uric acid should swap the soybeans for lotus seeds. Drink it at around room temperature rather than ice-cold, which is kinder to the stomach.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Crystal): Can I drink this while pregnant? Bro Niu: Mulberry mistletoe is traditionally settling in pregnancy, so yes, you can drink it.
• Q (reader): Can the tea be refrigerated overnight and drunk the next day? Bro Niu: Yes, it keeps overnight, but it is better warmed before drinking.
• Q (reader): I roasted the black soybeans — do they still need soaking? Bro Niu: Once roasted, the black soybeans do not need soaking.

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Published October 30, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.