Sugar Cane, Rhizoma Imperatae and Water Chestnut Drink
A traditional Chinese drink which helps cool the body, reduce heatiness, and clear phlegm and unwanted body fluids. It’s natural sweetness is perfect for hot summer days and this can be drank cold or hot. It is commonly found as a drink in most herbal dessert shops and is even bottled commercially.
The key to this heat clearing tea is the water chestnuts. I don't use them often as this version also uses corn, carrots, or corn silk, but I've kept it simple for heat clearing only. The water chestnuts are a very cooling ingredient and combined with the imperatae (or mao gen) root, is extra potent to clear excess yang.
TIP:
This Heat Clearing Sugarcane and Water Chestnuts and Imperatae Root Herbal Tea is excellent made in a large batch on a Sunday and kept in the fridge all week — in the summer especially, having a cold bottle of this on hand is one of the best acts of self-care you can give yourself after a week of hot weather, rich food, or accumulated stress.
Ingredients
- 4 x 1-foot length pieces of sugar cane
- 1 bunch of Rhizoma Imperatae
- 12 fresh water chestnuts
- Rock sugar as needed to taste
- 2 L of water
Fresh water chestnuts are crispy, firm, and high in water content. They don't have the best storage life, so keep them in the fridge as much as you can. As the water chestnuts "age", they'll breakdown and become starchy, have a crumbly texture, and lose it's moisture content. Which in turn, makes your soup or tea cloudy, which is still OK, as long as the water chestnuts still hold some of their firmness.
The single most important step is cleaning the water chestnuts properly. They grow in muddy, wet soil and the outer skin carries grit, bacteria, and in some cases parasites — which is harmless once cooked but unpleasant if consumed raw. Always peel completely, rinse thoroughly, and ensure a full rolling boil before reducing to a simmer. Never consume water chestnuts raw in this drink.
For the sugarcane, halving the pieces lengthwise before boiling makes a noticeable difference to the final sweetness of the drink. The flat cut surfaces release the juice more efficiently into the water than whole round pieces, which can take much longer to give up their sweetness. If your sugar cane is very thick, a few score marks along the length with a sharp knife help further.
Storage
This drink keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed jar or bottle. It is commonly made in large batches in Cantonese households and kept cold to drink throughout the week. Reheat gently on the stovetop or drink cold directly from the fridge. Do not freeze.
Cooking Instructions
Step 1 — Prepare your ingredients Wash the sugar cane pieces thoroughly under warm water. No need to peel — the outer skin stays on during boiling. Cut into 1-foot lengths if not already done, and halve lengthwise if the pieces are thick, to allow more of the sweet juice to release into the water.
Rinse the rhizoma imperatae (mao gen) under cold water. If using fresh, rinse well and trim any brown ends. If using dried, a brief cold water soak for 5 minutes before boiling is sufficient.
Peel the water chestnuts with a knife or peeler, removing the dark outer skin entirely. Rinse thoroughly under cold water — water chestnuts grow in muddy environments and need thorough cleaning. Cut out any darker middle cores if present.
Step 2 — Bring water to a boil Add 2L of cold water to a large pot. Bring to a full boil over high heat.
Step 3 — Add all ingredients Once boiling, add the sugar cane pieces, rhizoma imperatae, and peeled water chestnuts. Return to a boil.
Step 4 — Simmer Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 45–60 minutes. The liquid will reduce slightly and take on a pale golden colour with a light, clean sweetness. The longer it simmers, the more the sugarcane releases its natural sweetness into the drink.
Step 5 — Sweeten if needed Taste the drink. The sugarcane and water chestnuts should have provided natural sweetness already. Add rock sugar only if needed — a few small pieces dissolved in the hot liquid is sufficient. Do not over-sweeten; the clean, subtle sweetness is the point.
Step 6 — Strain and serve Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or ladle directly from the pot. Serve warm in the cooler months or allow to cool and refrigerate to serve cold in summer. The water chestnuts can be eaten as a snack after straining — they remain pleasantly crunchy and sweet.
Any benefits?
- This is a great tea for BBQ'ing or hotpot as it's cooling and removes heat from the body, especially the stomach
- It can served as a tea or soup
- It is vegetarian, so perfect for any soup or tea drinker
- This can be drank cold or hot (you'll often find this as a heated drink served in the streets of Hong Kong)
- You can make a big pot and store in the fridge for one week. Just be sure to let it sit to room temperature or heat up before consumption
- You can have a few variations of this soup or tea depending on ingredients at home (such as adding sugared dried winter melon, water chestnuts, or simply using sugar cane and imperatae)
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