Herbal & Flower Teas

Purple-Leaf Begonia and Hawthorn Tea

Name: Purple-Leaf Begonia and Hawthorn Tea
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 3 cups (about 3 servings)
Cuisine: Asian, Wellness
Ingredients: Purple-leaf begonia — 6 g; Hawthorn fruit — 30 g; Brown slab sugar — to taste

Traditionally helps clear richness and supports those with high blood pressure, blood lipids and cholesterol

Prep: 3 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 13 min
Makes: 3 cups

Heart & Circulation Everyday Balance

Why people make this tea

After a stretch of rich, oily, heavy eating, Nourilo likes a tart cup to help things along. Purple-leaf begonia (zi bei tian kui) is a well-loved clearing herb, and pairing it with hawthorn — the classic Chinese “fat-cutter” for greasy meals — gives a bright, ruby-red tea. It is traditionally favoured by the “three highs” crowd: high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high cholesterol.

Method

Rinse the begonia and hawthorn.
Place in a clay pot with 900 ml of water and boil for 10 minutes.
Stir in the brown slab sugar until dissolved.
Strain off the dregs and drink.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is friendly to young and old alike. If you have excess stomach acid, drink it after a meal. Buy the begonia fresh — when stored alongside other herbs it picks up their scent and the brewed tea loses its character. A properly brewed cup comes out a bright purple-red, not a pale beige.