Herbal & Flower Teas
Pang Da Hai, Mu Hu Die and Green Olive Tea
Traditionally soothes the throat and supports a clear voice
Why people make this tea
People who talk for a living — and especially those who don’t speak from the diaphragm — often end up hoarse with a scratchy, sore throat. This tea is the kind of thing Bro Niu reaches for in that situation: it is traditionally used to clear the lungs, ease the throat and help bring the voice back. It is also taken by people with a dry throat, hoarseness or a lingering, heat-type cough.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits people with a dry, sore throat, a hoarse voice, or a heat-type or long-standing cough. Bro Niu notes it is even fine during pregnancy.
- The tea is cooling in nature, so take it only when the throat is uncomfortable rather than as an everyday drink.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Pang da hai: traditionally used to soothe the throat and support a clear voice.
- Mu hu die (“thousand-layer paper”): associated with easing the throat and calming a cough.
- Qing lan (green Chinese olive): traditionally said to clear heat and ease the throat; it is also used for hoarseness and after drinking.
Ingredients (2 cups)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pang da hai | 3 pieces | soak and rinse |
| Mu hu die (thousand-layer paper) | ~4 g (1 qian) | soak and rinse |
| Green Chinese olives | 5 | crack lightly with the back of a knife |
Method
- Soak and rinse the ingredients; tap the green olives with the back of a knife to loosen them.
- Add 3 bowls of water and simmer down to 2 bowls.
- Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Green olives are sold at flower stalls or fresh-herb stalls. They clear heat and ease the throat. You can pickle some in coarse salt and keep them on hand for tea — handy for a sore, swollen throat, a stubborn cough, or feeling rough after drinking. Note: pickled olives need about four months before they are ready to use.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (CatCat): Can children drink this? Bro Niu: Children can drink this tea; it helps with throat discomfort.
- Q (FAN): Is anyone advised not to drink this pang da hai green olive tea (e.g. pregnant women)? Can it be drunk daily like water? Bro Niu: This tea is cooling in nature; it is fine during pregnancy. Of course, only take it when the throat is uncomfortable — not as an everyday drink.
- Q (Pigchi): I made it twice and afterwards my mouth feels astringent, like I’ve eaten grape skins — is that normal? Bro Niu: Because the green olive is astringent, using 3 of them will be milder.
Published November 12, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
