Chinese red date tea

The Chinese red date (Hung Tsao, Da Zao, Da Tsao, jujube, Ziziphus jujube) is commonly used in a restorative tea for after childbirth or menstruation, or for anyone who has suffered blood loss.

Red dates are native to China, Japan, India, and Afghanistan and are not like the brown Egyptian sugary dates. They are a very bright red color, small, and oval-shaped with a very shiny, deeply wrinkled skin like a walnut. They taste sweet but not too sweet. You can buy them in Chinese markets in plastic packages. Make sure you remove the stones for this tea (it is sometimes possible to buy stoneless dates).

· 6-8 Chinese red dates

· Tea of your choice

· Rock sugar to taste

· 3 cups (850 ml) of water

Pick out 6-8 dates and rinse them in cold water. Carefully cut them in half and remove the stone. Put the flesh into a pot with the tea of your choice. Boil the water and pour it over the dates and tea. Add a little rock sugar and allow it to stand for 5 minutes before drinking.

To replenish blood chi

Sesame and mushroom tea

This recipe replenishes blood chi and softens and smoothes the skin. You will need black not golden sesame seeds. Use wood ear dried mushrooms, which are black on one side and beige on the other. Do not confuse them with cloud ear mushrooms, which are much smaller, black on one side and white on the other. Wood ear mushrooms are much more nourishing than cloud ears. Wood ear mushrooms and black sesame seeds are available in Chinese markets.

· 1 small teaspoon black sesame seeds

· 2-sq.-in. (5-sq.-cm) piece of dried wood ear mushroom

· Tea of your choice

· 3 cups (850 ml) of water

Put the sesame seeds and the piece of wood ear into a mortar and grind them together with a pestle. Alternatively, you can quickly whiz them in a food processor. Put the mixture into a pot and add tea leaves of your choice. Bring the water to the boil and pour it over the ingredients. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes before drinking. Afterward, you may eat the residue with a spoon.