Herbal & Flower Teas
Purple-Skin Garlic & Dried Tangerine Tea
traditionally used to help relieve whooping cough and stubborn cough in children, with antimicrobial properties
Why people make this tea
Whooping cough cases have surged in recent years, with health authorities recording numbers not seen in half a century. The bacteria responsible have a particular grip on very young infants — those in the first few months of life before their vaccination schedule fully kicks in. Against this backdrop, Bro Niu revisited this old household remedy that Cantonese families have relied on for generations.
The star ingredient is the purple-skin single-clove garlic. Garlic contains allicin and related sulphur compounds that have been shown in laboratory studies to inhibit a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and viruses — including those responsible for respiratory infections. The purple-skin variety is considered by practitioners to be the most potent. Paired with jie bing (dried tangerine cake) — a shelf-stable preserved fruit that soothes the throat, stops cough, and tastes mildly sweet — this two-ingredient tea is as easy to make as it is gentle on a small child’s palate.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for: infants, young children, and adults with whooping cough or a stubborn lingering cough
- Safe for pregnant women
- Breastfeeding mothers and infants: suitable
- Give infants and toddlers a small amount according to their tolerance — there is no need to force a fixed volume
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Purple-skin single-clove garlic (zi pi du zi suan): Contains the highest concentration of allicin among garlic varieties; traditionally regarded as strongly antimicrobial and antiviral; used to inhibit and kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses of many types
- Dried tangerine cake (jie bing): A Cantonese preserved fruit made from small tangerines; lubricates the lungs, stops cough, and has a pleasant mild sweetness; the natural white powder on the surface is natural fruit sugar — no need to wash it off
Ingredients (1 pot / approx. 2 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dried tangerine cake (jie bing) | 1 piece | Rinse briefly; chop into smaller pieces |
| Purple-skin single-clove garlic | 2 whole cloves | Peel and slice; substitute 5–6 cloves of regular purple-skin garlic if needed |
| Water | 3 bowls (~600 mL) |
Method
- Peel and slice the garlic.
- Give the dried tangerine cake a light rinse and chop roughly.
- Place both ingredients in a small pot with 3 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain into cups and serve warm. Give children small amounts to sip according to comfort.
Bro Niu’s tips
If single-clove garlic is not available, use 5–6 cloves of regular garlic — choose the purple-skin variety for the best effect. The white powder coating on jie bing is natural crystallised sugar; there is no need to scrub it off. When selecting jie bing, look for pieces that are bright orange-red in colour, not too sticky to the touch, and evenly coated with the white frost. This tea can also be used preventively during a whooping cough outbreak. If a child with whooping cough also has a high fever or breathing difficulty, please see a doctor.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Vicky): My 10-year-old has had a cough for over 2 weeks with high fever every night reaching 38–39°C. The emergency doctor said it is a lung infection; she has been on antibiotics for 3 days without much improvement. Would this garlic-tangerine tea help? Bro Niu: You can give her this tea. Adding 2 liang (about 75 g) of fresh houttuynia (yu xing cao, fish mint herb) to the pot will significantly boost its antibacterial and antiviral effect. Take it for 3 servings, 2 hours after each antibiotic dose.
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Q (anonymous): Is this tea only for prevention, or does it work when the child already has whooping cough? Bro Niu: It works for treatment as well as prevention.
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Q (Baby): My 3.5-year-old has had a cough since recovering from a cold — mainly at night, occasionally with runny nose. It has been going on for weeks. What can he drink? Bro Niu: You can try this garlic-tangerine tea. Alternatively, use 1 piece of jie bing (chopped), 1 apple (peeled and cored), and 4 bowls of water cooked for 20 minutes. Apple helps stop cough and supports the immune system. If the runny nose is heavy, add 6 xin yi flowers to the pot.
Published January 9, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
