Scrophularia, Ophiopogon & Monk Fruit Tea

Why people make this tea

Mouth ulcers — known as “aphthous ulcers” in Western medicine, and called “fei zi” in Cantonese — are small but genuinely painful: they interfere with eating, speaking, and sleeping. In traditional Chinese food therapy, they are often linked to excess internal heat combined with yin deficiency, and are made worse by stress, late nights, and a diet heavy in fried or spicy foods. Nourilo recommends this simple three-ingredient tea as an ongoing support for people who find themselves getting mouth ulcers again and again — not a quick fix, but a gentle way to help the body stay in better balance. Children from school age upward can also drink it.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly.
2. Combine with 1.2 L of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Strain and drink warm. This makes roughly 2 cups.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is also effective for hoarse voice or dry throat caused by excessive talking, smoking, or drinking alcohol. When choosing monk fruit, look for one that does not rattle when gently shaken and whose skin is uniformly coloured and glossy — that indicates good quality. If you cannot find scrophularia root, American ginseng (hua qi shen / American ginseng) is a reasonable substitute, but do not add it during the main cooking — instead, steep it in the finished tea for about 5 minutes, since American ginseng contains volatile compounds that dissipate with prolonged heat. If you have a cold constitution, Nourilo suggests adding 4 dried figs and a piece of tangerine peel to soften the tea’s cooling nature. You can also store the previous day’s tea in the fridge (remove the herbs first), then reheat to drink the next day.