Winter melon tea with osmanthus
Winter melon simmered skin-on with brown slab sugar into an amber tea, finished with osmanthus — light, sweet and cooling on the year's longest, hottest days.
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves 4
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: The Summer Solstice brings the longest days and fierce heat, and even a balanced constitution sweats heavily and feels thirsty and restless. Winter melon clears heat and relieves summer heat, while slab sugar and osmanthus round out the flavour, so the tea cools without being cold — an afternoon drink that beats the heat without upsetting the stomach.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 60 min- 1Wash the winter melon and cut it into small pieces, leaving the skin and seeds on; they give the tea its fragrance and cooling effect.
- 2Put the melon, sugar and water in a pot, bring to the boil, then simmer for 50 minutes until the melon is very soft and the tea turns amber.
- 3Strain out the melon, add the osmanthus to the hot tea, cover for 5 minutes, then strain again.
- 4Serve at room temperature, or chill it and let it stand a little before drinking rather than serving it ice-cold.
Cautions
- Go easy on it if your digestion runs cold or during your period, and don't add ice.
Chef's tips
- Make a big batch: it keeps in glass bottles in the fridge for 3 days. Top up with a little warm water to serve.
The TCM view
Winter melon is sweet, bland and slightly cold, clearing heat, relieving summer heat and draining water. Osmanthus is pungent, warm and aromatic, waking up the spleen and offsetting the melon's coolness; slab sugar is sweet and warm, supporting the middle. Gently cooling rather than harsh, it helps a balanced constitution keep summer heat from draining body fluids.
