Favourite Red dates & Longan Tea (桂圓紅棗茶)

Every year during the First day of Chinese New Year, my family would brew this tea early in the morning and the fragrant is just so ever pleasing to me. I love this tea as a young child because we only have this tea during Chinese New Year and it really meant something special. We will normally drink this tea early in the morning for breakfast, all the younger members of the family would offer a cup of Longan Tea for the elders first before they would consume one for themselves. This is what we still practice till today and as usual we only have it during the first day of Chinese New Year.

Red dates & Longan Tea 桂圓紅棗茶(serves 4)

150g     Dried Longan flesh

40         Red dates

4pcs      Dry White fungus 白木耳 (Bai Mu Er)

             Soaked

16-20    Gingko Nuts

2 litres   Water

100g     Rock sugar (add to taste) or Brown sugar

1. Wash longan flesh remove grit. Rinse the gingko nuts and red dates.
2. Soaked the white fungus, if it is too big do not worry as when it cooked will dissolved a little.
3. Combine all ingredients into a deep pot and simmer for about an hour.
4. You can serve this hot or ice cold. 

Please do note that this tea has a warming effect. If you feel there's heat in your body, I do not advise you to consume this tea.