Guk Fa Cha- Flower Tea

[herp17]

Here's another question: Anybody have a good recipe for guk fa cha? Or flower tea? My parents made it everytime the season changed (or what it from spring to summer?). It's pretty much a tea with this packet of flowers and suger blocks boiled in water. Can be drank hot or cold. Suppose to be really good healthwise. Been thinking about making it but haven't got a clue on how to start. I don't even know what packet of assorted flowers to buy to make it out of?

Anybody? Ah Leung?

[hzrt8w]

Guk Fa Cha is very simply to make. All it takes is just to know how to boil water...

Buy a pack of dried chrysanthemum flower (Guk Fa [Cantonese]) from the Asian markets. Boil a pot of water, add a few blocks of rock sugar or brown sugar cane sugar and some dried chrysanthemum flower for may be 30 minutes at reduced heat after the initial boil? I think that's about it.

[Dejah]

Guk Fa Cha is very simply to make.  All it takes is just to know how to boil water...

Buy a pack of dried chrysanthemum flower (Guk Fa [Cantonese]) from the Asian markets.  Boil a pot of water, add a few blocks of rock sugar or brown sugar cane sugar and some dried chrysanthemum flower for may be 30 minutes at reduced heat after the initial boil?  I think that's about it.

←

OR: You can buy the packets of guk Fa Cha crystals. You just have to pour the contents into a mug, add hot water, VOILA! Check your Asian market tea section. There are combinations as well. I like the ones with ginger mixed with other teas.

[Ben Hong]

Guk fa cha was the equivalent of "Coca Cola" to us kids back in the old village. I still make it from time to time, when I think that I deserve a sugar shot.

SIMPLE, like Dejah says, it's like making tea....ya boils de water...ya pours da water over blossoms...ya add sugar...ya drink...no??

[herp17]

So what's the water and sugar amount?

Is it one bag of flower with 4 quarts of water (guessing?)?

And sugar? How many brown sugar blocks?

I'm not much of a cook, actually more of a scientist.

So I sort of need amounts and measurements.

[Ben Hong]

So what's the water and sugar amount?

Is it one bag of flower with 4 quarts of water (guessing?)?

And sugar? How many brown sugar blocks?

I'm not much of a cook, actually more of a scientist.

So I sort of need amounts and measurements. 

←

TO TASTE

If you are indeed a scientist then you would be familiar with the term "experiment?" No?

[Dejah]

Don't mind Ben Sook, herp17. He's been giving out too much advice lately.

How big is the bag of flower? That kinda determines the amount of water to use.

It is better to make it too strong at first. You can always add more hot water to dilute. For the sugar, it is better to add NOT enough at first. You can always add more if you like it on the sweet side.

Too much tea? keep it in the fridge. With the hot weather we are going to have, guk fa cha is better than ordinary ice tea.

[hzrt8w]

So what's the water and sugar amount?

Is it one bag of flower with 4 quarts of water (guessing?)?

And sugar? How many brown sugar blocks?

I'm not much of a cook, actually more of a scientist.

So I sort of need amounts and measurements. 

←

herp17: You begin to sound like project!

Just kidding, we love project. Hope he is still following this forum.

Cooking is not scientific at all. Measurements in most recipes are just suggestions. Besides, everybody has different degrees of appreciation/toleration for sweetness, hotness, sourness, saltiness. You need to do trial-and-error to find your own balance.

To help you get started...

For every cup of water you add, I suggest to use about 1/4 of a stick of the sugar cane sugar (peen tong). And about 1/4 cup of the dried chrysanthemum flower. You try it out and adjust your amounts for the next round.

Remember to filter off the chrysanthemum flower before you drink your Guk Fa Cha!

Edited April 30, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[herp17]

Thanks everybody. I didn't mean to be a nag or a nusiance.

Besides, I tend to screw things up a lot.

[Tepee]

The brew I make is weaker than 1/4 C flower to 1 C water. You must remember the flower expands. Usually, it's like a small handful of flower to a pot of (say, 8 cups) water. Er...not very scientific portions, I know. And, I don't boil the flowers together with water, rather, I steep.

[Dejah]

The brew I make is weaker than 1/4 C flower to 1 C water. You must remember the flower expands. Usually, it's like a small handful of flower to a pot of (say, 8 cups) water. Er...not very scientific portions, I know. And, I don't boil the flowers together with water, rather, I steep.

←

Good call, Tepee.

And I, for one, like to eat the flowers with my tea.

[Seitch]

Here's another question: Anybody have a good recipe for guk fa cha? Or flower tea? My parents made it everytime the season changed (or what it from spring to summer?). It's pretty much a tea with this packet of flowers and suger blocks boiled in water. Can be drank hot or cold. Suppose to be really good healthwise. Been thinking about making it but haven't got a clue on how to start. I don't even know what packet of assorted flowers to buy to make it out of?

Anybody? Ah Leung?

←

I generally use an entire package of chrysanthemum flowers that I buy from Ten Ren Teas in a large pot with 2.5 qurts or so of water. I also usually add a handful or two of jin yin hua (honey suckle) which is available in Chinese apothecary shops. The jin yin hua is also cooling to the body as is the chrysanthemum. This I boil for about 40 mins on a low flame. Strain out the solids and add rock sugar to taste.

[herp17]

Thanks everybody.

Made this on Sunday afternoon. Followed the basic directions and was able to successfully duplicate what I use to have when I was a little kid.

Thanks!

Didn't realized how easy it was. My parents always gave me the impression that it was impossible and laborous to make. Guess not.

[jo-mel]

herp17:  You begin to sound like project!   

Just kidding, we love project.  Hope he is still following this forum.

LOLOLOL! That is what jumped in my mind, too! Poor project! He really is so earnest and just wants to learn. He has tough skin, too!

[hzrt8w]

[...]

Didn't realized how easy it was. My parents always gave me the impression that it was impossible and laborous to make. Guess not. 

←

Chinese parents usually play that trick to make children appreciate how much work they need to put in preparing the meals (or in general raising the family).

I was lucky because my father showed me all the basics at the beginning (when I was 10). And the rest... I just watched him do it and also learned from other people.

Edited May 3, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[jokhm]

ahh

I usually only drink this stuff when I have a cold or sore throat..

and then I make it with honey rather than rock sugar. I also like to throw in a tiny handfull of big leaf jasmine tea and a teaspoon of wolfberries... also seems to look fantastic in my small 6oz glass teapot.