Mulberry Mistletoe Lotus Longan Egg Tea

Why people make this tea

This sweet egg tea is one of those time-honoured Cantonese home remedies that people have been making for generations. In its simplest form it is just sang ji sheng (Chinese mulberry mistletoe) simmered with a couple of eggs and a piece of rock sugar. Over time, lotus seeds and dried longan crept into the recipe, rounding out the flavour and deepening the nourishing effect. Nourilo notes that nowadays some herb shops sell a processed version of sang ji sheng — steam-treated, darker in colour, and noticeably less bitter — which makes the tea even more pleasant to drink. The result is a warm, gently sweet brew that many Cantonese families make regularly, especially for women who experience lower back tiredness and for those who want something calming before bed.