Herbal Tea & Soup Remedies (中药茶)

A hundred lines for the kitchen rather than the medicine cabinet. It covers ready-made teabags from Beijing Tongrentang and 999, the dried ingredients that go into a Cantonese lo fo tong — poria, red dates, goji, dried yam, lotus seed, apricot kernel — and made-up soup packs for people who would rather not assemble one.

Cooking with herbs

In southern China a herbal soup is food, not medicine: made weekly, adjusted with the seasons, and drunk by the whole household. Most packs simmer for two to three hours with pork, chicken or on their own.

If you grew up with a soup you can no longer name, describe it to us — the ingredients are usually recognisable from a description, and we can put the components together for you.

Traditional use information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified practitioner before use, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or managing a health condition.