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Ju hua cha
菊花茶 (ju hua cha): dried chrysanthemum flower tea, pale gold and floral
Ju hua cha is chrysanthemum tea, a summer staple in Hangzhou, where the famous small white Hang bai ju flowers grow, and across Guangdong and Hong Kong, where it is poured at dim sum and sold chilled in street-side stalls. Dried flowers open in hot water into a pale golden, honey-scented infusion with a gentle bitterness. It is drunk plain here: no salt and no sugar, so about 0.0 g salt per cup. The usual mistake is using boiling water, which turns it harsh; let the kettle rest for a minute first. A few goji berries add colour and a little natural sweetness. Chef's tip: rinse the dried flowers quickly in warm water first to wash off dust and wake up their fragrance.
- Total time
- 7 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups hot waterabout 90 °C
- 6 dried goji berries (optional)
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Rinse the 8 dried chrysanthemum flowers flowers briefly in warm water and drain.
1 minStep 2: Put them in a glass teapot with 6 dried goji berries and pour over the 2 cups hot water, a minute off the boil.
1 minStep 3: Steep for 4–5 minutes, until the flowers open and the tea turns pale gold. Pour and drink hot, topping up the pot with more hot water once or twice.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 5 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ju hua cha take?
- About 7 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 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.
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