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Juhua cha (chrysanthemum tea)
菊花茶: pale golden tea of Hangzhou white chrysanthemums, floral and honey-soft, hot or iced
The small white hangbaiju flowers grown around Tongxiang, near Hangzhou, are picked in November, steamed and dried, and they end up in teapots all over China. Families brew them after a rich dinner, through the dry autumn, and iced in summer; dim sum houses in the south offer them as a caffeine-free choice, often mixed with pu-erh. The tea is pale gold, lightly floral with a faint bitterness like chamomile, softened by a little rock sugar and a few goji berries that turn plump and red in the pot. The common mistake is pouring boiling water straight onto the flowers and leaving them for twenty minutes; the tea turns brownish and bitter. Water just off the boil, around 90 °C, and a short steep keep it clear and sweet. It is ready when the flowers have opened like little daisies, the colour is light amber and the smell is honey-like. You can top up the pot two or three times. If you are allergic to ragweed, daisies or marigolds, try a small cup first or skip it, as chrysanthemum belongs to the same family. Chef's tip: for iced juhua cha, brew it double strength and pour it straight over a glass full of ice so it does not taste watery.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the tea
- 12 dried white chrysanthemum flowers (hangbaiju)about 4 g; whole buds
- 4 ¼ cups water
- ⅔ oz rock sugaror to taste
- 1 tbsp dried goji berries (optional)
For iced tea
- 12 ice cubes (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring the 4 ¼ cups water to the boil in a kettle, then leave it for 1–2 minutes so it drops to about 194°F.
3 minStep 2: Put 12 dried white chrysanthemum flowers (hangbaiju) and 1 tbsp dried goji berries in a teapot or heatproof glass jug. Pour over a splash of the hot water, swirl for 10 seconds and pour it away to rinse the flowers.
1 minStep 3: Add ⅔ oz rock sugar and pour in the rest of the hot water. Cover and steep for 4–5 minutes, until the flowers open and the tea is pale amber and smells of honey.
5 minStep 4: Pour into cups, leaving the flowers in the pot so you can top it up with hot water once or twice. For iced tea, use half the water, steep, then pour over a glass packed with 12 ice cubes.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 25 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does juhua cha (chrysanthemum tea) take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 8 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.
- What can I use instead of rock sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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