Herbal teas,also known as herbal infusions and less commonly called tisanes,are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs,spices,or other plant material in hot water. Oftentimes herb tea,or the plain term tea,is used as a reference to all sorts of herbal teas. Many herbs are used in herbal medicine. Some herbal blends contain actual tea.
Kudzu,also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot,is a group of climbing,coiling,and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to much of East Asia,Southeast Asia,and some Pacific islands,but invasive in many parts of the world,primarily North America.
Cellophane noodles,or fensi,sometimes called glass noodles,are a type of transparent noodle made from starch and water. A stabilizer such as chitosan may also be used.
Barley tea is a roasted-grain-based infusion made from barley. It is a staple across many East Asian countries such as China,Japan,Korea and Taiwan. It has a toasty,bitter flavor.
Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch,which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening agent in recipes that are refrigerated or frozen since it inhibits liquid separation.
Brown rice tea,called hyeonmi-cha in Korean and nước gạo lứt,nước gạo lứt rang,or nước gạo rang in Vietnamese,is an infusion made from roasted brown rice.
Hangwa is a general term for traditional Korean confections. With tteok,hangwa forms the sweet food category in Korean cuisine. Common ingredients of hangwa include grain flour,fruits and roots,sweet ingredients such as honey and yeot,and spices such as cinnamon and ginger.
Lotus tea is an infusion made from lotus leaves,flowers,roots,fruit,seeds,or embryos. It is known as liánchá in Chinese and yeoncha in Korean. It is also known as tràsen in Vietnamese.
Matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves traditionally consumed in East Asia,which is mostly produced in Japan today. The green tea plants used for matcha are shade-grown for three to four weeks before harvest;the stems and veins are removed during processing. During shaded growth,the plant Camellia sinensis produces more theanine and caffeine. The powdered form of matcha is consumed differently from tea leaves or tea bags,as it is suspended in a liquid,typically water or milk.
Kudzu powder,called géfěn (葛粉) in Chinese,kuzuko in Japanese,chik-garu (칡가루) or galbun in Korean,and bột sắn dây in Vietnamese is a starch powder made from the root of the kudzu plant. It is used in traditional East Asian cuisine mainly for thickening sauces and making various types of desserts.
Doncha,also called jeoncha,is a coin-shaped post-fermented tea produced in Korea. The tea has been called cheongtae-jeon in the Jangheung region in South Jeolla Province.
Gugi-cha or goji tea is a traditional Chinese/Korean tea made from dried goji berries or leaves. Traditionally,the tea was made with young goji leaves. Today,mature leaves or,more commonly,berries are used. The tea made with berries may be called gugija-cha or goji berry tea,while the tea made with leaves is referred to as gugiyeop-cha or goji leaf tea.
Arrowroot is a starch obtained from the rhizomes (rootstock) of several tropical plants,traditionally Maranta arundinacea,but also Florida arrowroot from Zamia integrifolia,and tapioca from cassava,which is often labeled arrowroot. Polynesian arrowroot or pia,and Japanese arrowroot,also called kudzu,are used in similar ways. In India,it is called palua.
Pine needle tea or pine leaf tea is a herbal tea made from pine needles,or the leaves of pine trees. In Korea,the tea made from the leaves of Korean red pine or Manchurian red pine is known as solip-cha (솔잎차),while the tea made from the leaves of Korean pine is known as jannip-cha (잣잎차) or baek yeop-Cha. In North America,pine needle tea may be made from the leaves of Eastern white pine and Loblolly,Virginia Pine,Long Leaf Pine.
Buckwheat tea,known as memil-cha (메밀차) in Korea,soba-cha (そば茶) in Japan,and kuqiao-cha (苦荞茶) in China,is a tea made from roasted buckwheat. Like other traditional Korean teas,memil-cha can be drunk either warm or cold and is sometimes served in place of water. Recently,tartari buckwheat grown in Gangwon Province is popular for making memil-cha,as it is nuttier and contains more rutin.
Maehwa-cha or plum blossom tea is a traditional Korean tea made by infusing dried flowers of Korean plum in hot water. During the early spring,half-open buds of plum blossoms are picked,dried,and preserved in honey. It is served,with ten flowers in a teapot and by pouring 50 millilitres of hot water. The tea can be enjoyed after one to two minutes of steeping.
Dohwa-cha or peach flower tea is a traditional Korean tea made from the dried peach flowers. It is believed that dohwa-cha helps treating constipation and calculus.
Kelp tea is a traditional East Asian tea made by infusing kelp in hot water. It is called kobu-cha or konbu-cha (昆布茶) in Japan,haidai-cha (海带茶) in China and dasima-cha (다시마차) in Korea.
Pueraria montana var. lobata,the East Asian arrowroot,or kudzu vine,is a perennial plant in the family Fabaceae.
