Start of Spring · Tea break · Qi Stagnation
Kumquat and jasmine honey tea
Fresh New Year kumquats steeped with jasmine flowers and sweetened with honey — fragrant, lightly tangy and mood-lifting.
- 10 min
- Serves 2
- Steep
- Easy
WarmingSoothes the liver & qiLifts the mood
Why it suits you: Qi Stagnation brings low mood and a tight chest or sides, and spring — the liver's season — makes it harder for qi to flow. Fragrant kumquat and jasmine soothe the liver, honey adds sweetness to protect digestion, and the tea is caffeine-free.
Method
Prep 5 min · Cook 5 min- 1Rub the kumquats with a pinch of salt and rinse well. Halve them, remove the seeds and squeeze lightly to release a little juice.
- 2Let boiled water stand for 1–2 minutes (about 85°C). Put the kumquats and jasmine in a teapot, pour in the water, cover and steep for 5 minutes.
- 3Pour out and let it cool until warm before stirring in the honey. The kumquats can take a second infusion.
Chef's tips
- Potted New Year kumquat plants are usually sprayed with pesticides, so do not eat them; buy edible kumquats from a fruit stall.
- Use pure dried jasmine flowers rather than jasmine green tea, so it stays caffeine-free and will not disturb your sleep.
The TCM view
Kumquat is pungent, sweet, sour and warm; it moves qi, lifts the mood and resolves phlegm. Jasmine is pungent, sweet and warm, eases constraint and settles the middle; honey is sweet and neutral and soothes. Fragrance frees the liver, sweetness protects the spleen and the sourness is slight — in line with 'less sour, more sweet' for spring.
