Dried Coltsfoot Flower

Dried Coltsfoot Flower

 

 

Ingredient Name:  Dried Coltsflower, Tussilaginis Farfarae Flos, Dong Hua, Tussilago

Traditional Chinese Name: 冬花 (dōng huā)

What is this?

  • The flower is a perennial plant that reminds me of yellow dandelions or small sunflowers
  • When the leaves are dried it becomes a brownish-yellow texture
  • In the case of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the leaves are used, but sometimes the flowers and roots are used as well
  • This is also commonly used in western herbal supplements, all with the same usage of reducing coughs
  • This can be used in both teas and soups (although teas and Chinese herbal drinks more commonly)
  • Considered slightly warming ingredient

How do I prepare it?

  • No preparation needed other than storing in a dry, cool place

Where can I buy this?

  • In Asia, especially in Hong Kong, you can buy these at the wet marts, herbalists, dried food stalls (the ones that also sell dried red dates and fish maw)
  • They also come in prepackaged soup packs

What is the cost?

  • Very affordable, only a few dollars HKD for a handful

Any benefits?

  • Known in Traditional Chinese Medicine to help reduce coughs, remove phlegm, and moistens the lungs
  • It’s ideal for heaty bodies or yin deficiency
  • My Chinese herbalist recommends this when you’ve got the ends of a pesky cough that just won’t seem to go away, usually from the remnants of a cold

Any precautions?

  • Buy from a reputable source
  • Be sure to store in a dry, cool place as they can prone to spoiling in more humid weather

Dried Lily Flower

Ingredient Name: Dried lily flower

Traditional Chinese Name:  金針花 (jin zhen hua)

What is this?

  • This is literally the dried petals of lily flowers
  • When cooked into soups or stir-fried, it remains closed (as pictured above)
  • It has a spongy texture and an earthy, slightly sweet taste (similar to golden mushrooms)

How do I prepare it?

  • Soak in warm water for 30 minutes
  • Cut off any hardened ends
  • Rinse well before use

Where can I buy this?

  • Dried lily flowers can be purchased at almost all Asian dried food shops.

What is the cost?

  • The cost is very affordable.  The amount pictured above cost less than $2 CAD.

Any benefits?

  • Eating lily flowers is said to help relieve liver stagnation
  • Lily flower tea can help to moisten lungs and alleviate coughs

Any precautions?

  • None that we know of
Chrysanthemum (Dried)

Chrysanthemum (Dried)

Chrysanthemum (Dried)

Ingredient Name:

Chrysanthemums, Mums, Chrysanths

Traditional Chinese Name:

菊花 (jú huā)

This ingredient is cooling and bitter sweet.

I’m a huge fan of this dried herb!  You can find it commonly used in Chinese restaurants as a tea which you can order, at supermarkets as bulk, at Asian herbal shops, and even in some western herbal tea blends.  When seeped, it turns the liquid into a bright clear yellow.  You can actually eat the flowers if you’d like, but they do disintegrate quite a bit and can be difficult to drink with all that stuff floating around 🙂

The chrysanthemum flower is widely known as a cooling ingredient in both Chinese food and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  If you’ve got lots of “hot air” (yeet hay) or feeling very heaty, this is the go to herbal drink.  It’s actually very common in Hong Kong to find chrysanthemum bottled or boxed drinks.  

This is a perennial flower plant that has many variations (different colours such as white, pinks, yellows) in various shapes and sizes.  It was first cultivated in China for herbal properties and is used in teas, drinks, desserts and various other Chinese dishes.  It is often purchased dried for consumption and has a very distinct taste and scent.

How do I prepare it?

      • You can rinse in warm water first as sometimes there are bugs floating around, but not too long as not to seep out the flavours.No other preparation needed.

What is the cost?

      • The price will range from a few dollars to tens of dollars depending on the size, make, and brand of the dried flowers

      • There are smaller full buds, which tend to be more expensive, or the shredded bloomed ones, which are cheaper
      • In general, one tub of 60 g of dried loose flowers can cost around $8 CAD

Any benefits?

      • This ingredient is considered cooling and great to remove and eliminate excess heat and heat from the body
      • It is particularly targeted to the liver (eyes) and lungs
      • It’s often used to help with fever, colds, and headaches
      • It tends to have a cleansing effect by clearing heat and drying dampness in the body
      • This goes will with honey (added in after you’ve boiled or steeped the tea)

Any precautions?

      • It is cooling, so be careful if you’re cold, feeling cold, or have excess yin

      • Not suggested as part of postpartum or confinement consumption as it’s cooling

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