Smilax root, Chinese yam & red date tea
A damp-clearing tea that's naturally sweet with no added sugar — gentle and non-irritating, so it suits anyone with itchy skin or hay fever.
- 50 min
- Serves 3
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: For Sensitive types, humid, muggy Grain Rain is when eczema, itchy skin and hay fever flare most easily. This tea uses common, low-allergen ingredients to strengthen digestion and clear damp and toxins — and stronger digestion means better resistance.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 40 min- 1Rinse the smilax root and yam, then soak the yam in fresh water for 15 minutes. Rinse the red dates and soak the tangerine peel until soft.
- 2Put everything in 1.2 litres of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 minutes.
- 3No sugar needed. Strain into a flask; the softened yam is good to eat too.
Chef's tips
- Buy sliced smilax root from a herbal shop and choose firm pieces with a pale, powdery cut surface. A big batch keeps for two days in the fridge; reheat before drinking.
The TCM view
Smilax root is sweet, bland and neutral; it clears damp and toxins and is a classic for damp, itchy skin. Chinese yam is sweet and neutral and supports the spleen, lungs and kidneys, strengthening the body's defences. Red dates are sweet and warm and nourish blood; a little tangerine peel moves qi. Mild and balanced, it clears damp without depleting you — right for sensitive constitutions.
