Chrysanthemum tea

As the weather is so hot, I decided to boil some chrysanthemum tea, an easy to make ‘leong sui’ or herbal tea. I just need chrysanthemum flowers, rock sugar and dried winter melon.

Ensure to rinse the chrysanthemum flowers first as there could be some sand or soil. These are yellow chrysanthemum flowers. If you have some white ones, mix it together.

Fill up the pot with water, add the flowers, some rock sugar and some dried winter melon. Bring it to a boil on medium fire, switch it to low and let it simmer for about 1/2 hour.

Let it cool down a bit and it is ready to be served!

It’s so easy right?  

Medicinal use, from Wikipedia:
Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza, acne and as a "cooling" herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In Korea, it is known well for its medicinal use for making people more alert and is often used to waken themselves. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to treat the eyes, and is said to clear the liver and the eyes. It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin/fluid deficiency. It is also used to treat blurring, spots in front of the eyes, diminished vision, and dizziness. The liver is associated with the element Wood which rules the eyes and is associated with anger, stress, and related emotions.