A Simple Morning Goji and Red Date Tea Recipe

Goji and red date tea is a classic, easy recipe you can brew every day in just a few minutes. Here's the standard ratio, plus a few variations to mix things up.

Ingredients needed

• 15 Mekong HI fresh-locked goji berries
• 4 red dates, pitted
• 500ml hot water at 80–90°C
• (Optional) 1 teaspoon honey

Brewing steps

1. Put the pitted red dates and fresh-locked goji into a teapot or a lidded glass cup.
2. Pour in 500ml of hot water at 80–90°C – avoid boiling water at 100°C, as it can destroy some of the goji's natural vitamin C.
3. Cover and steep for 7–10 minutes, until the water turns golden orange.
4. Pour and drink while warm. If you like it sweeter, stir in honey once the tea has cooled slightly.

Tasty variations

• Add chrysanthemum: use 12 goji berries with 5–6 dried chrysanthemum flowers, water at 85°C, steep for about 5 minutes (no longer, or the flowers turn bitter). Good for the afternoon, to help you unwind after hours at your desk.
• Add ginger: a thin slice of fresh ginger balances the flavour nicely, especially on cooler days.
• Add honey: only stir it in once the water has cooled below 40–50°C – high heat breaks down honey's natural enzymes.

A small tip

• You can re-steep the same goji and red dates 2–3 more times; after the third steep, eat the dates and berries too so nothing goes to waste.
• Fresh-locked goji doesn't need rinsing before brewing – straight from the jar – so it's quicker than regular dried goji.
• Best enjoyed about 30 minutes away from a meal, not on a completely empty stomach.