Schisandra, Goji and Licorice Tea

Why people make this tea

Bro Niu calls schisandra a remarkable herb: its skin and flesh are sweet-sour, the seed is pungent-bitter, and the whole berry carries a touch of salt — five flavours in one, hence the name “five-flavour seed.” In traditional thinking, the five flavours reach the five organs, so it is associated with steadying the body, easing cough, settling sweat and supporting the gut, and in recent years it is often used to support those with frayed nerves. For people who tend to sweat at night, he shares this simple tea, traditionally seen as helpful for night sweats, a stubborn cough and poor sleep.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• People who tend toward night sweats, a lingering cough or restless sleep
• A gentle daily tea; enjoy in moderation

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Schisandra (wu wei zi): traditionally used to settle sweat, soothe cough and support the body
• Goji berries (gou qi zi): classically associated with nourishing and supporting the body
• Licorice root (gan cao): harmonises the tea and is associated with supporting the body’s resilience

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Schisandra berries	1 tablespoon	rinsed
Goji berries	1 tablespoon	rinsed
Licorice root slices	4–5 slices	rinsed

Method

1. Rinse the ingredients.
2. Cook in 4 bowls of water for half an hour, reducing to 2 bowls. Serve.

Bro Niu’s tips

Northern schisandra is generally regarded as better quality than southern: the northern berries are a darker, duller red, while the southern ones are brighter. The goji and licorice in the tea are traditionally seen as supporting the body’s resilience.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader): My 7-year-old sweats easily — far more than other kids when playing — and starts sweating soon after falling asleep each night; the sweat is thin. Is this a sign of weakness, and would this tea help him? Bro Niu: Lots of daytime sweat may point to weak lung qi; night sweats are more often a yin-deficiency sign. If he sweats a lot both day and night, use roasted black beans ~38 g, north qi (huang qi) ~11 g, fu xiao mai ~19 g and 5 red dates in 5 bowls of water down to 2, split over a day, for 3 batches.

• Q (Lida): I’m a Canadian Chinese and want to make black sesame paste for my kids. Should the black sesame be soaked first, and for how long? Can I cook it with oats? Why soak sesame? Bro Niu: I’d suggest buying black sesame powder — it’s roasted and ground, so the paste comes out fragrant and smooth, and it’s convenient. If you buy whole black sesame, because of possible dust, rinse it briefly in a sieve (no need to soak), drain, then dry-toast in a pan until fully dry before grinding and storing. Each time, take some powder, add fresh milk or evaporated milk and a starch slurry plus rock sugar (add the evaporated milk and starch slurry last) and cook into a paste. Yes, you can use it together with oats.

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Published May 5, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.