Chrysanthemum Tea (菊花茶)

Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 50g dried chrysanthemum flowers (朵朵香/duo duo hua)
- 10g licorice roots (aka gan zao) – About 8 pieces* (optional)
- 1.5 litre water
- rock sugar, about 50g (adjust according to your preference)

*skip this if you are pregnant or have high-blood pressure

Directions
1. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, add chrysanthemum, licorice roots (if using) and rock sugar.
2. Simmer for a short few minutes (do not boil for too long) and off the flame.
3. Take out the chrysanthemum flowers and licorice roots and sieve the liquid through a strainer.
4. Drink chilled or at room temperature.

Tips
- You may re-use the ingredients by adding water and boiling to brew a second round if you wish.
- You can also add 1 tsp of wolfberries (soaked in water till puffy first) if desired.
- There are a type of chrysanthemum flowers which do not require boiling (杭菊); simply place the ingredients in a cup/tea pot, pour boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. However, I prefer to bring the ingredients to a brief boil to let the flavours seep in.