Loquat and Rock Sugar Tea

Why people make this tea

Loquat season is short, and when fresh loquats appear at the fruit stall — even at thirty or forty dollars a pound — Bro Niu says it is well worth picking some up. The fruit is beautifully sweet, rich in carotene, and packed with vitamins A, B, and C. In traditional Chinese food therapy, the entire loquat tree is considered useful: the fruit flesh is said to clear heat from the lungs and settle the stomach; the leaves are used to reduce phlegm; even the seeds have their applications. This simple tea — just fruit, seeds, and a little rock sugar — is one of the most accessible ways to ease a nagging cough, relieve a parched throat after illness, and settle a queasy stomach.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most adults and older children with heat-type coughs, dry or sore throat, persistent cough after a cold, or an unsettled stomach
• Those with a cold constitution or a weak, chilled stomach may add 2–3 slices of fresh ginger when simmering
• Not a substitute for medical care if the cough is accompanied by high fever, difficulty breathing, blood in sputum, or has lasted more than two or three weeks without improvement — please see a doctor

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Loquat flesh (pi pa rou): Traditionally classified as cooling and moistening — said to clear heat from the lung meridian, direct rebellious qi downward (which is one way Chinese medicine describes the cough reflex), and generate body fluids to relieve thirst and dry throat.
• Loquat seeds (pi pa he): The seeds are crushed and simmered together with the fruit; traditional texts associate them with reducing swelling and benefiting the joints, but in this recipe their main role is to add depth of flavour and contribute to the tea’s overall soothing quality.
• Rock sugar (bing tang): Mild and moistening, rock sugar is the traditional sweetener of choice in Cantonese medicinal cooking — it complements the lung-nourishing quality of the tea without being overly warming.

Ingredients (2–3 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh loquats	10 fruits	Rinsed; cut in half, flesh and skin used
Loquat seeds	from the 10 fruits	Crush lightly with the back of a knife
Rock sugar	1–2 tbsp	Add to taste at the end
Water	4 bowls (~1 litre)

Method

1. Rinse the loquats well. Cut each fruit in half and remove the seeds. Set the seeds aside.
2. Lightly crush the seeds using the back of a heavy knife or a pestle — just enough to crack them.
3. Place the loquat halves (flesh and skin) and the crushed seeds into a pot with 4 bowls of water.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved.
6. Strain through a sieve and drink the liquid warm. The fruit pulp may be discarded or eaten alongside.

Bro Niu’s tips

Loquat leaves can also be added to boost the cough-relieving effect — but you must first brush away the fine downy hairs on the underside of each leaf before cooking. If those hairs make it into the pot, they will irritate the throat and make coughing worse. Those with a cold-natured stomach can add a few slices of fresh ginger to warm the brew. This tea also offers gentle relief for general dizziness and mild headache.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Thomas): I started coughing at the end of June, saw the doctor several times, and still have some phlegm and a slight cough with runny nose. What soup or tea would help? Bro Niu: Try steeping American ginseng (hua qi shen), platycodon root (jie geng), ophiopogon root (mai dong), goji berries, and liquorice — about 3 g of each — as a tea. Drink 3 to 5 servings. This combination is especially good when a prolonged cough has taxed the lung yin. If you still have a runny nose, add 6 magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) to the steep.

• Q (lamma): My 8-year-old daughter has been coughing on and off for several months. The Chinese doctor said “wind has entered the lungs.” What food remedy suits her? Bro Niu: Try steeping 2 sour plums (wu mei), a small handful of chrysanthemum flowers (ju hua), and 3 to 4 slices of liquorice root (gan cao) as a tea. Three servings should help with a wind-type cough.

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Published January 20, 2016 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.