Lotus Plumule Tea (Lian Zi Xin Tea)

Why people make this tea

When Nourilo wrote this recipe, Hong Kong was going through a period of social unrest, and he noticed many people around him struggling with sleeplessness and anxiety — not because of any illness, but because of the weight of ongoing worry. His remedy was simple: look to the heart. In traditional Chinese food and herbal culture, the tiny green plumule inside a fresh lotus seed is one of the most elegant tools for quieting internal fire. The lotus plumule — a sliver of pale green, intensely bitter — is the embryo that sits at the very heart of the seed. Most people discard it when cooking; Nourilo says never throw it away. When fresh lotus seeds come into season around the Mid-Autumn Festival, the plumules can be collected and dried for year-round use, or steeped fresh in a cup of hot water.