Lo Han Guo and Chrysanthemum Tea

Oh boy, how hot can it get!


The weather has been absolutely scorching lately, the heat relentless.  Coupled with the lack of rain, it has been hot, dry and dusty the last few days.


Even though it's been pretty blustery, the moment I open my front door, I feel as if I'm stepping into a big vast oven, with millions of tiny sand particles "caressing" my face (yes, my imagination knows no bounds at times).


I feel quite sorry for the workers who toil in the open, especially those construction workers and the old uncle who is manning our neighbourhood security gates.  The security booth, no, more like a wooden dilapidated shack, offers no shelter from the merciless elements.  Poor guy, I can't help but made him a chilled bottle of honey, if only offering a momentary relief from the oppressive heat.


Anyhow, back to our posting today.  Yes, it's on my favourite herbal drink again.  This time, I added dried chrysanthemum flowers to it.   If you like chrysanthemum tea, you will love this. 

The fragrance and flavour of the chrysanthemum made a big difference to the tea.  Chrysanthemum are known for its nourishing and cooling properties.

Lo Han Guo and Chrysanthemum Tea

• 3 big lo han guos
• 4 medium size honey dates
• A handful of dried chrysanthemum flowers

1.  Put 4 litre of purified water in a pot.  Wash the lo han guos and lightly crack them open.  Dig out all the seeds, separate them and add into the pot. 

  

2.  Rinse the honey dates and add into the pot as well.

3.  Bring the pot of water to a boil, turn down the fire and let simmer for 40 minutes.  Use a ladle to flatten the dates to release more flavour and sweetness into the liquid.

4. Rinse the chrysanthemum and add to the pot.  Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes before turning off the fire.  Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before straining the liquid and serve warm.  


Notes:

I usually boil this in the morning, forget about it till the late afternoon when it has cooled down sufficiently, then strain it and serve.  Better still, chilled it for about an hour, then drink.  Very refreshing. 

Sometimes, instead of chrysanthemum flowers, I boil this with watercress, which also has cooling properties and is good for preventing coughs.


Trivia alert: according to wikipedia, a NASA Clean Air Study has shown that chrysanthemum plants can reduce indoor air pollution. Cool eh? Maybe its time i drop by a plant nursery....