Herbal & Flower Teas
Shek Wong Pei, Monk Fruit (Luo Han Guo) & Apricot Kernel Tea
traditionally associated with clearing phlegm, soothing coughs, clearing lung heat, and supporting the respiratory tract in damp, humid weather
Why people make this tea
When Hong Kong’s weather turns humid and muggy in spring — the kind of weather where the air feels thick and you can almost see the moisture — coughs tend to follow. The Cantonese approach to this environment is to use herbs that are specifically suited to clearing heat and damp from the lungs without being so cold that they damage the body’s core energy. Shek wong pei (the fern rhizome sold at mountain herb stalls in Hong Kong) is exactly this kind of ingredient: mildly cooling but not harsh, with a reputation for clearing lung and intestinal heat while also having a diuretic, damp-clearing quality. Paired with the soothing sweetness of monk fruit and the lung-supporting apricot kernels, this makes an agreeable tea that the whole family can drink when a heat-type cough has set in after a cold.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suited to people with wind-heat coughs: productive cough with yellow or sticky phlegm, sore throat, thirst — typically following a cold that started as a fever
- Well suited to Hong Kong’s damp, humid climate and people with damp-heat constitutions
- Suitable for children with wind-heat coughs (a 2-year-old can drink this tea)
- NOT suitable for wind-cold coughs: hoarse voice, clear watery phlegm, feeling cold, no fever — these need warming herbs instead
- Pregnant women may drink this tea — monk fruit does not cause issues, but if phlegm is thick, add 4 figs and 11 g of sweet apricot kernels to reduce the tea’s cooling nature slightly
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Shek wong pei (shi huang pi / Drynaria rhizome): Not a fruit but the rhizome (underground stem) of a fern plant; sold at mountain herb stalls in Hong Kong; mildly cooling but not overtly cold; traditionally used to clear phlegm, stop coughs, and clear damp-heat from the lungs and intestines; Bro Niu notes it is particularly suited to Hong Kong’s humid climate and damp-heat body types
- Monk fruit / luo han guo (Siraitia grosvenorii): A subtropical fruit with an intensely sweet dried flesh; traditionally used to clear the lungs, soothe the throat, and relieve coughs; choose a fruit that is round, large, firm, does not rattle when shaken, and is yellow-brown in colour — these signs indicate quality
- Apricot kernels (nan bei xing — combined sweet and bitter): Support lung qi and help dispel phlegm; the combination of sweet (nan xing) and bitter (bei xing) kernels provides balance; the bitter variety provides stronger cough-suppressing action while the sweet version is gentler
Ingredients (2–3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shek wong pei (Drynaria rhizome) | 75 g (2 liang) | Wash and crush with the back of a knife |
| Monk fruit (luo han guo) | Half a fruit | Rinse; sold whole at Chinese herbal shops |
| Combined apricot kernels (nan bei xing) | 38 g (1 liang) | Rinse |
Method
- Wash the shek wong pei and crush lightly with the back of a knife to help release its properties.
- Rinse the monk fruit half and the apricot kernels.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 5 bowls (about 1 litre) of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 hour until reduced to 2–3 bowls.
- Drink freely according to your comfort.
Bro Niu’s tips
Shek wong pei is a fern rhizome — not a fruit or bark — and is sold at mountain herb (shan cao yao) stalls in Hong Kong. When buying monk fruit: choose round, large, firm fruits that do not rattle when shaken, with a yellow-brown colour. A high-quality fruit will be fragrant when opened. Store opened monk fruit in a cool, dry place — if it develops white mould or an off-smell, discard it. This tea is specifically for phlegmy, heat-type coughs. For wind-cold coughs (clear watery phlegm, hoarse voice), use warming remedies instead — dried tangerine peel, ginger, and brown sugar. If your cough has been going on for more than two weeks without improvement, see a doctor.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (亚仪): I have a bronchial sensitivity cough with white bubbly phlegm, worse at night. I’ve been using your other recipe for a week but still coughing. What next? Bro Niu: Try five-flavour berry (wu wei zi) 11 g, honey-fried liquorice (zhi gan cao) 4 g, and fresh ginger 3 slices — 4 bowls of water cooked to 2 bowls, for 3–4 consecutive servings. This helps with cold-type coughs.
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Q (bruin): I’m pregnant, just got over a cold, but still have a cough with yellow phlegm. Is monk fruit tea suitable? Bro Niu: Yes, you can drink monk fruit tea for a cough with yellow phlegm. Adding 4 figs and 11 g of sweet apricot kernels reduces its cooling nature and also increases effectiveness.
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Q (Kelly): After a cold, I have a cough with yellow phlegm — what soup is best? Bro Niu: Try monk fruit stem (霸王花 / ba wang hua) 75 g, half a monk fruit, one carrot, and combined apricot kernels 38 g in a lean pork broth — cook for 2 hours. This clears lung heat and dissolves phlegm. The whole family can drink it.
Published April 22, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
