Chinese
Vegan
Gluten freeHongzao guiyuan cha (red date and longan tea)
红枣桂圆茶: red dates, dried longan and goji simmered into a sweet, warming tea for cold evenings
Across southern China, from Fujian to Guangdong, a pot of red dates and dried longan is what mothers and grandmothers put on the stove when the weather turns cold, and it is the classic drink brought to new mothers during zuo yuezi, the month of rest after childbirth. It is also sipped through the winter in the afternoon, or offered to visitors at Lunar New Year because the red dates promise sweetness ahead. The tea is amber-brown, naturally sweet and fruity, with a caramel, smoky depth from the longan and a gentle warmth if you add ginger. The common mistake is simmering whole dates: their skins stay tight and the tea tastes thin. Slit or tear each date so the flesh can give up its sweetness, then simmer slowly. It is ready when the dates are puffed and soft, the longan has swollen and the liquid is the colour of weak tea and tastes of toffee. It is traditionally drunk for comfort and warmth, not as a medicine; it is high in natural sugar, so go easy if you watch your blood sugar, and goji can interact with blood-thinning medicines, so check with a doctor if you take them. Chef's tip: eat the softened fruit from the bottom of the cup with a spoon; nothing is wasted.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 110 kcal
Ingredients
For the tea
- 10 dried red dates (jujubes, hongzao)about 50 g
- 1 tbsp dried goji berries
- 3 slices fresh ginger (optional)thin, unpeeled
- 5 cups water
- ½ oz brown slab sugar or rock sugaroptional sweetness; taste first
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 10 dried red dates (jujubes, hongzao), 1 oz dried longan flesh (guiyuan rou) and 1 tbsp dried goji berries in cold water. Tear or slit each date down one side with a small knife so the flesh is exposed; remove the stones if you like.
4 minStep 2: Put the dates, longan and 3 slices fresh ginger in a pot with the 5 cups water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes.
8 minStep 3: Lower the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 20 minutes, until the dates are puffed and soft and the liquid is amber and smells of caramel.
20 minStep 4: Add the goji and the ½ oz brown slab sugar or rock sugar and simmer for 5 more minutes, just until the goji are plump. Taste: it should be gently sweet; skip extra sugar if the fruit is already sweet enough.
5 minStep 5: Pour into cups with some of the fruit in each and serve hot. It keeps 3 days in the fridge; reheat gently until steaming.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hongzao guiyuan cha (red date and longan tea) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of brown slab sugar or rock sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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