Yen Can Cook: Winter Melon & Luo Han Guo Tea

I’ve been under the weather for some days since last week, blame the weather ~ The weather has been horrid recently, hot and warm today, cold and raining tomorrow. Abnormal weather creates abnormal health; it’s harder for the body to be in balance and harmony with the environment, when the environment changes unpredictably. I think we really need to eat something to curb the heat in our bodies. Winter melon冬瓜and Luo Hon Guo 罗汉果 are the great combination to clear away the inner body heatness.


Winter melon, also called wax gourd, white gourd or ash gourd, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. The melon may grow as large as 80 cm in length and immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. In Chinese cuisine the gourds are used in stir fry or usually combined with pork or pork/beef bones to make winter gourd soup, often served in the scooped out gourd. Winter melon has natural cooling properties and said to be able to help clear heat and dampness in our body. It is also often used as a diuretic, which can help to detoxify the body. Urination eliminates excess toxins, fats, salts and water from the body.

Ingredients (Serve: 3-4)

2 Luo Hon Guo 罗汉果
300g winter melon 冬瓜, cut or grated into stripes
50g dried longan (龙眼肉)
2 litre water
Rock sugar to taste

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Step 1: Squeeze dry the water of the grated winter melon, set aside.

Step 2: Wash the Luo Hon Guo and crack it a little.

Step 3: Raise dried longan. Put winter melon (Step 1), Luo Hon Guo (Step 2) & dried logan into a pot. Add water and bring it to boil. Let it simmer in low fire for 1 hour.

Step 4: Add rock sugar to taste but I didn’t add any because the Luo Hon Guo and dried longan are sweet by itself. You can either serve it hot or cold.

You may check out an easier version without winter melon HERE.

Stay healthy and hydrated everyone!

HAPPY COOKING!

 

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