Take part in a tradition thousands of years old with our freshly brewed Chinese Herbal Tea! It only needs 4 ingredients and can be EASILY modified to use what you already have on hand. Served hot or cold, it’s the perfect way to balance your body’s energies!

Mum’s remedy for a hot body
I’m no stranger to ‘naughty’ foods. Thick-cut pork belly, fried dumplings and crispy noodles are just some of the things that make my knees instantly weak.
But with eating those types of foods (with no regrets, might I add) comes a price that I always forget about…until it’s too late. Give me two days’ worth of fried goodies and watch as my face goes through a massive pimple outbreak!
Luckily for my family, Mum is quick to get on top of those symptoms. Her typical Chinese Mum response:
Your body’s hot (yit hei). Drink some Chinese Herbal Tea to cool it down!
Those of you who have Asian parents – sound familiar?
This traditional remedy is something I’ve grown to cherish. It’s a drink made with a subtle bitterness and sweetness that soothes you right through to the soul.
Not to mention, it is said to contain a variety of health benefits with healing properties.
Time to brew some tea, I say!
All about prunella vulgaris
What it is
Prunella vulgaris (夏枯草; ha fu chou), also known as heal-all, heart-of-the-earth or self-heal, is a common herb that grows in many parts of the world. It’s related to mint and grows as a slim purple flower stem.
The plant has been part of medicinal practice for centuries worldwide and still continues to be used today.
Taste
Self-heal has a subtle minty flavor but is also slightly bitter. Much like mint, it will have a lasting cooling effect on your tongue.
When dried, the plant is often used as part of teas (like this Chinese Herbal Tea) while the fresh version is a popular choice for salads and soups.
Health Benefits
Prunella vulgaris is known for its high levels of antioxidants. It is said to be ideal for tackling viral infections as it has antiviral abilities.
Traditionally, it has been used for assisting with inflammations, headaches, sore throats and wounds. These days, self-heal is still used for its healing properties.
There’s a reason why Mum always makes this!
Balancing the body’s yin and yang
When it comes to Chinese medicine, prescriptions are predominantly based on creating harmony within the body.
If you think about the concept of yin and yang, Chinese medicine is always trying to restore that balance.
Growing up, my brother and I were often told about the cooling foods (more aligned with the yin) and the heating foods (closer to the yang).
Whenever we showed symptoms of being too ‘hot’, Mum would tell us to eat foods that would balance our bodies by cooling it down, including drinking her Chinese Herbal Tea.
There are many varieties of foods that are cooling and heating (some are even neutral). Here are examples of each:
Food to cool your body down
In Cantonese, we call these foods ‘leung’ because they have a cooling effect on the body. They’re supposed to balance out the symptoms of someone who is too hot. However, having too much of these can also cause an imbalance.
Symptoms
People on the cooler side may find that themselves fatigued, aching, stiff, have a low appetite and/or have diarrhoea. To remedy this, it’s suggested to eat warming foods like ginger.
Food that makes your body hot
When your body’s on the hot side, it’s called ‘yit hei’ in Cantonese. It actually has nothing to do with your body’s internal temperature increasing. Rather, it’s about the acidic food that you’re consuming.
An excess of food like fried foods, mangoes, coffee, nuts, soft drinks and longan can make the body hot and result in unwanted symptoms.
Symptoms
The effects of eating heating foods can include agitation, nose bleeds, sweating, coughing, thirst, constipation, pimples and fevers.
It is recommended that you consume cooling foods like our Chinese Herbal Tea to bring balance to the body!
Why this recipe works
- Washing the dried herbs multiple times removes the impurities from the drink.
- Carrots and sweetened wintermelon adds a subtle sweetness that can be easily adjusted to your liking.
- Using prunella vulagaris keeps the bitterness mild while still having the cooling effect.
What you’ll need
About the herbs
We get the dried ingredients from our local Chinese medicinal shop, but if they’re not available then there are many ways to change it up:
Modifications
Sweeteners
You can really use anything sweet to make the drink sweeter and amounts will vary depending on the type used and your preference.
- Sugars – We prefer gentler sweeteners like rock sugar, but any sugar variations will do. Some will give a richer and deeper flavor like palm sugar while others will add a sharper sweetness like regular sugar.
- Fruit – Any of your favorite sweet and firm fruits would work. Our typical choices are apples, pears and watermelon. Avoid softer fruits because when they’re cooked for long periods, they become mushy and make the tea murky.
- Dried fruit – Goji berries and jujubes (red dates) are a great way to sweeten your drink with extra nutrients.
- Vegetables – For a classic cooling vegetable that’s popular for its bitterness, bittermelon is also a great option. Green beans will work too.
- Honey – This can be added after the tea has been cooked to sweeten the drink.
On top of sweeteners, the herb variety can also be swapped too!
Dried Herbs
The following dried herbs can be used as substitutions to prunella vulgaris or as additions to the drink for more nutrients and flavor.
- Chrysanthemum (菊花) – Sometimes Mum would add this to the tea if we had any on hand. It gives it a beautiful fresh and floral flavor.
- Dandelions (蒲公英) – These dried flowers come with a strong aroma that is part earthy, bitter and grassy.
- Jasmine (茉莉) – Like chrysanthemum, jasmine has a potent floral taste while being mildly sweet.
- Oolong (烏龍) – Often said to have a similar flavor profile to black tea. It can have a woody or grassy aroma, depending on how it was cultivated.
- Mint (薄荷) – This leaves your mouth with a cooling reaction. I would recommend adding these in fresh after the water has been taken off the heat.
- Ginseng (人蔘) – The root is notoriously bitter but in a way that is gentle and sweet.
Mum occasionally mixes two types together for a full-bodied flavor experience, but pick and choose what you like in your teas!
How to make this recipe
Start by washing the prunella vulgaris in a bowl of cold water. Grab two handfuls and squeeze the water out, then put it in a colander. Do this until all the dried herbs are in the colander.
Pour the water out and rinse it until clean, then refill with fresh water. Tip the herbs back in and repeat the washing another 2 times.
Note: If you find that there is still sand or dirt, keep changing the water and washing until the bowl is clear of impurities.
Wash and peel the carrots.
Pour the water into a pot and add the washed herbs in. Cut the carrots into 2cm (0.8″) chunks and throw them into the pot. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.
Add the sweetened wintermelon in and let it boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the tea into a teapot.
Serve it hot as is or put the teapot in the fridge for a few hours to enjoy as a cold beverage!
FAQs
Teas are consumed daily in many different cultures. Some drink it for its taste, some for relaxation and some for its health benefits. As long as you have it in moderation, this beverage can be enjoyed every day.
The longer the drink is brewed for, the longer the ingredients have to release their flavor. If you prefer a less bitter taste, dilute it with more water or cook it for a shorter period of time. Alternatively, use more sweetener.
Tips for the best results
- Wash the dried herbs thoroughly. Make sure to remove as much of the impurities as you can. This will leave you with a cleaner, fresher taste.
- Sweeten a bit at a time. To get the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, add your preferred sweetener a little bit at a time and taste as it cooks. This prevents over sweetening the drink.
- Don’t overboil. Keep the pot simmering rather than boiling to stop the bitterness from overtaking the Chinese Herbal Tea.
More ways to balance your body’s inner harmony
- Hashima Dessert Soup (雪蛤膏糖水) – Known for its skin benefits, you’ll love how soft and cloud-like the hashima is.
- Snow Fungus Dessert Soup (雪耳糖水) – There’s a reason why this dessert soup is served after dinner – it’s light, refreshing and another one that’s great for your skin!
- Taro and Sweet Potato Balls Dessert (九份芋圓) – Served with herbal jelly, it’s a fun dessert that gets the whole family involved.
- Stuffed Bittermelon Soup (Canh Khổ Qua) – If you love bitter flavors, this soup is the perfect way to cool your body down!
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Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶)
Equipment
- Colander
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 30 g / 0.07 lb dried prunella vulgaris (we get it from Chinese medicinal herb shops)
- 2 1/2 L / 10.6 US cup water
- 30 g / 0.07 lb sweetened wintermelon (we buy it from Asian supermarkets)
- 100 g / 0.22 lb carrot
Instructions
- Start by washing the prunella vulgaris in a bowl of cold water. Grab two handfuls and squeeze the water out, then put it in a colander. Do this until all the dried herbs are in the colander.
- Pour the water out and rinse it until clean, then refill with fresh water. Tip the herbs back in and repeat the washing another 2 times. Note: If you find that there is still sand or dirt, keep changing the water and washing until the bowl is clear of impurities.
- Wash and peel the carrots.
- Pour the water into a pot and add the washed herbs in. Cut the carrots into 2cm (0.8") chunks and throw them into the pot. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the sweetened wintermelon in and let it boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the tea into a teapot.
- Serve it hot as is or put the teapot in the fridge for a few hours to enjoy as a cold beverage!
Video
Notes
- Wash the dried herbs thoroughly. Make sure to remove as much of the impurities as you can. This will leave you with a cleaner, fresher taste.
- Sweeten a bit at a time. To get the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, add your preferred sweetener a little bit at a time and taste as it cooks. This prevents over sweetneing the drink.
- Don't overboil. Keep the pot simmering rather than boiling to stop the bitterness from overtaking the Chinese Herbal Tea.
- We get the dried ingredients from our local Chinese medicinal shop, but if they're not available then you can change it up by using different sweeteners like fruit, sugar, vegetables and honey.
- Prunella vulgaris can also be substituted with chrysanthemum, dandelions, jasmine, oolong, mint and ginseng.
I’d love to try this herbal tea. It sounds like a wonderful tonic!
You should! I hope you get a chance to try it soon, Katherine 😀
How fascinating to read more about the herbal tea variations – I knew about some of the common ingredients, but certainly not all. Definitely sounds like a great cleanser!
It definitely works as a cleanser! I hope you get to try this out soon, Caroline!
Oh yum! I could so drink this all day every day! Love the addition of the sweetened winter melon. As kids we used to eat these like they were lollies! Will try and get some dried prunella to make this tea.
That’s so awesome! I only just learnt about sweetened wintermelon when Mum used it for this tea. Such a great way to sweeten it!
This looks like it has so much goodness in it. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Dannii! I hope you enjoy it!
This tea sounds amazing. I love herbal tea but have never made my own, can’t wait to try this.
This is the perfect way to start. It’s super easy and comes with so many ways to modify it!
At what point do you add Chrysanthemum? Last 5 min so it doesn’t turn bitter?
Hi Ana, Mum usually puts it in at the same time as the rest of the ingredients, but if you’re worried it might get too bitter then you can certainly put it in during the last 5 minutes.
Exactly the recipe I need and it looks like it will be amazing. Starting to drink prunella tea as an additional way to fight progression of glaucoma. Read that it is good to block endothelin receptors and that is desirable to block in normal pressure glaucoma. Prunella has been shown to do that! Scientists are now working on a drug that will do this for glaucoma but I don’t want to wait.
Hi, Bev! I didn’t know prunella could do that, but it’s great to see that you’re using it for your health. My best wishes to you and your recovery!