Sour Plum Drink

酸梅湯, Suan Mei Tang, sour plum drink

烏梅是一種中草藥，具有味酸、性溫等特點，有潤肺、開胃、生津、清熱、調中下氣等功能.

Wu Mei (Mume Fructus) is the key ingredient of this sour plum drink. Wu Mei stablize and blind, enter Liver, Spleen, Lung and Large Intestine channels. It is sour and astringent and warm in nature. It generates fluids and alleviates thirst, binds up intestines and stops diarrhea, inhibits the leakage of Lung Qi and stops cough, expels roundworms and alleviates pain, stops bleeding (TCM clinic aid). In general, Wu Mei can moist Lung, increase appetite, generate fluids, clear heat, harmonize the middle.

To make Suan Mei Tang you would need:
Water 5 Liter,
Wu Mei 烏梅 Mume fructus 70 g
San Cha 山楂 Crataegi Fructus 50 g
Luo Shen Hua 洛神花 Roselle Hibiscus Sabdariffa 20 g
Sweet aged tangerine peels 甜陳皮 25 g
Gan Cao 甘草 Licorice root 15 g
Gui Hua 桂花 Osmanthus fragrans 2 g or rose bud
Black dates 黑棗 black dried dates 50 g
Chinese Bing tang 冰片糖 (Chinese brown sugar pieces) 60 g

​Instructions
1. Wash and rinse all ingredients except for the Chinese brown sugar pieces
2. Soak Wu Mei, San Cha, Luo Shen Hua, sweet aged Tangerine peels, Gan Cao in water for 30 minutes
3. Add the soaked ingredients to a clay pot or stainless steel pot
4. Add 5 liters of water
5. Bring to a boil with lid open then simmer for 30 - 60 minutes
6. Add the Gui Hua (or rose bud) and the Chinese brown sugar pieces
7. Stir well and let it sit for 20 minutes
8. Filter before consuming it hot or cold

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