Materials
1kg of old winter melon
2-2.5 liters of water
20-30g of rock sugar
2-3 pineapple leaves
5g of rehmannia glutinosa, can be skipped if you don't like the rich flavor
A little salt
Winter melons should be chosen with ripe fruits, dark green skin, firm hands. When cooked, ripe winter melons have a natural sweet taste and are more fragrant.
How to do
Wash winter melon, drain, then cut into moderate slices or pieces. You can keep the peel, remove the pulp and seeds.
Wash pineapple leaves, tie them neatly. Put winter melon, pineapple leaves and rehmannia glutinosa in a pot, add 2-2.5 liters of water and cook over high heat until the water boils.
When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 40-60 minutes. During the cooking process, winter melon will soften and the water will turn golden brown, with a characteristic aroma.
Turn off the heat, filter out the squash pulp and pandan leaves, then add rock sugar and a little salt to the hot tea water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar completely.
Let the tea cool and store it in the refrigerator. You can use it cold or add ice when drinking.
For people who are losing weight, you should only use just enough sugar to create a light sweetness. The above formula uses about 20-30g of sugar for more than 2 liters of water, helping the tea have a light taste instead of a strong sweet taste. If you prefer a more natural taste, you can reduce to 10-15g of sugar or not add sugar.
Winter melon tea should be used as a refreshing drink, not to replace main meals. When losing weight, controlling the total amount of energy in the daily diet is still an important factor.
