Perilla Leaf, Ginger, Scallion and Brown Sugar Tea

Why people make this tea

In autumn and winter the temperature swings between warm days and chilly mornings and evenings, and one careless moment is all it takes to catch a chill. Many people come down with a wind-cold type cold: a clear runny nose, thin white phlegm, aversion to cold and wind, no thirst, a cough, sometimes with headache, body aches or fever. Perilla leaf is traditionally used to release the exterior and dispel cold; paired with scallion and ginger, plus a little brown sugar to warm the stomach, it makes a comforting tea for the first signs of a wind-cold chill. Fresh perilla leaf is available at Chinese or Asian grocers; the dried herb works equally well.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits people at the very onset of a wind-cold chill — clear runny nose, chills, no thirst, no sore throat.
• Not suited if a sore throat came first (often a wind-heat type). If symptoms worsen or a fever will not break, please see a doctor.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Perilla leaf (zi su ye): Traditionally releases the exterior and dispels cold, eases cough and helps resolve phlegm.
• Scallion (qing cong): Traditionally associated with easing a cough and clearing the airway.
• Ginger (sheng jiang): Traditionally promotes a light sweat to release the exterior and warms the lungs.
• Brown sugar (hong tang): Warms the spleen and stomach and helps disperse cold.

Ingredients (2–3 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh perilla leaf	~38 g	or 3 qian dried; washed, chopped
Green scallion	4–5 stalks	roots removed, cut into segments
Ginger	3–4 slices
Brown sugar	to taste

Method

1. Wash and chop the perilla leaf. Trim and wash the scallion, then cut into segments.
2. Bring 3 bowls of water to a boil, add the perilla, scallion and ginger and boil 7 minutes.
3. Add brown sugar, stir to dissolve, and drink warm.

Bro Niu’s tips

If you have no fresh perilla, 3 qian of the dried herb works too. Drink this tea while it is warm — it is most helpful at the very onset of a wind-cold chill. After drinking, rest a while; a light sweat will speed recovery. Do not use it if you have a sore throat, since a sore throat usually appears before other cold symptoms and points to a wind-heat type.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Vicky): My 4-year-old has coughed for a week after a flu fever, with white mucus and lots of phlegm at night; what food therapy can help? Bro Niu: Put su zi and lai fu zi (3 qian each) in a tea bag with one piece of tangerine peel, cook a congee for her, and serve over three days; it helps a lot with phlegmy cough.
• Q (Mandy): Two family members have a runny nose after a fever — one yellow at first, one white; what can I cook to stop the runny nose? Bro Niu: Steep xin yi hua (magnolia bud) on its own as a tea, 3 qian each, ideally snipped open; re-steep until light, and add a little honey for taste.
• Q (Wah): I’m nearly 50, my period has skipped three months since a cold; any food therapy to help regulate it? Bro Niu: Try a daily ginger, red date and brown sugar water, amounts to taste, for 2–3 weeks, and see if the period returns — at 50 it may also be the onset of menopause.

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Published December 7, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.