Zhu Zi Li Herb Tea (Pig's Hat Berry Tea)

Why people make this tea

One day while shopping for monk fruit at a Chinese herb shop, Nourilo overheard an elderly woman asking for zhu zi li, saying that after a few cups of this tea her almost constant coughing had settled down to just a few coughs at night. Curious, he asked the shopkeeper about it. The reply was straightforward: zhu zi li is a traditional mountain herb that pairs well with apricot kernels and honey dates to help calm a stubborn, phlegm-ridden cough. Nourilo picked some up, brewed a pot, and was pleasantly surprised that the medicinal smell was quite mild. Traditional references describe zhu zi li as sweet and slightly astringent in flavour, neutral in nature, and associated with clearing heat, dissolving phlegm, soothing coughs, and relieving thirst related to upper-respiratory conditions.

Method

1. Ask the herb shop to crack (crush) the zhu zi li pieces, or do so at home with a hammer wrapped in a cloth. The shell is very dense and must be broken for the brewing to be effective; use them shell and all.
2. Rinse the apricot kernels and honey dates briefly.
3. Combine the cracked zhu zi li, apricot kernels, and honey dates in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until the liquid reduces to 600 ml.
5. Strain and drink throughout the day — ideally one bowl about an hour after breakfast and one bowl about an hour after dinner.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Zhu zi li looks like a small, dense, nut-like berry. It is extremely hard — a regular knife will not crack it. Use a hammer or ask the herb shop to do it before you leave. Do not skip this step, otherwise very little of the herb’s goodness will make it into the tea.
• If you want a slightly stronger phlegm-clearing effect, you can add half a monk fruit (luo han guo) to the pot.
• Drink across a single day; brew fresh each time. A course of 3 consecutive days is typical; reassess after that.
• Zhu zi li is not always easy to find — if unavailable, Nourilo suggests a simpler alternative: simmer peach flesh (38 g), apricot kernels (38 g), and 3 slices of fresh ginger in 1.5 L of water down to 600 ml, then stir in a little honey before drinking; this is particularly soothing for a dry, weak-lung cough.