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.