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.