SINGAPORE – In this season of excess, here are some options for a healthier year ahead, such as vegetarian soups and soothing teas.

Skip sugary drinks and try homemade brews recommended by Chinese physician Cheong Chin Siong – the 49-year-old co-owner of Bao Chun Tang TCM Health Food at Fortune Centre – such as a calming tea of French rose bud and saffron, and a beauty tea of osmanthus, red date and dried longan.

These brews, served hot or chilled, are suitable for most guests during the upcoming Chinese New Year visits. However, Mr Cheong cautions the three tea recipes here are not advisable for pregnant women.

These tea recipes give ingredient quantities for a single serving, as well as larger portions. Do note that some ingredients are not suitable to be used in large quantities, hence the adjusted ratios for larger portions.

For instance, saffron is believed to affect blood circulation. Ingredients such as hawthorn, roselle and black plum are sour and, when used excessively, can cause stomach discomfort.

Other than teas, you can prepare meat-free soups featuring porcini and bamboo fungus, which are healthier options for reunion dinner fare.

And for the classic New Year dish of braised mushrooms, try braising them neat without relying on chicken stock and meat.

Here are six recipes for healthier brews, soups and braised mushrooms.

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Roselle And Hawthorn Tea

This burgundy-hued and tangy tea is meant to help in detoxification, especially for those who indulge in oily and fried foods. 

Mr Cheong says hawthorn, roselle and dried black plum aid digestion. 

It is best to consume this brew in small amounts after food and not on an empty stomach, he adds.

As roselle and hawthorn impart tang to the tea, so add brown sugar or a small piece of luohan guo (monk fruit) to sweeten if you find the concoction too sour.

But if you want to keep this a sugar-free drink, licorice roots have a natural sweetness to even out the tang.

Ingredients

For individual serving:

3 to 5 French rose buds

1 black plum

½ segment of mandarin orange peel

3 pieces of gan cao (licorice root)

2 pieces of dried roselle

2 pieces of dried hawthorn

1g of dried peppermint leaves or 5 fresh peppermint leaves

1g dried osmanthus

3 dried mulberries

300ml water

Optional: Brown sugar to taste

Method

1. Rinse all the ingredients, place them in a saucepan and add the water. 

2. Bring to boil and simmer for five minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the brew to cool before drinking.

3. To reuse the drained ingredients, add 250ml water and boil for five minutes.

4. If you prefer steeping, place the ingredients in a cup, add boiling water and cover. Let the ingredients steep for 30 to 45 minutes. Allow the brew to cool before drinking. 

For serving eight people, use 10 French rose buds, three pieces of black plum, 5g Mandarin orange peel, 10g licorice root, five pieces of dried roselle, 10 pieces of dried hawthorn, 3g dried peppermint, 3g dried osmanthus, six dried mulberries and add one luohan guo. Break the luohan guo into small pieces before use. Use two litres of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Calming Tea

Preparing for the festive season can be stressful, from spring-cleaning your home to shopping for New Year snacks and gifts for friends and family. Take a break with a relaxing brew of Calming Tea.

In traditional Chinese medicine, French rose buds are believed to help reduce anxiety, promote better sleep and relaxation. 

Saffron is prized for its beautifying effects and is thought to be beneficial for blood circulation. Mr Cheong suggests using saffron in small amounts, as saffron is believed to reduce blood pressure and can cause one to feel faint if consumed in excess.

Ingredients

For individual serving:

5 to 8 French rose buds

A pinch of saffron

3g dried chrysanthemum buds

1g mandarin orange peel

6g wolfberries

300ml water

Method

1. Rinse all the ingredients, place them in a saucepan and add the water. 

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the brew to cool before drinking.

3. To reuse the drained ingredients, add 250ml water and boil for five minutes.

4. If you prefer steeping, place the ingredients in a cup, add boiling water and cover. Let it steep for 30 minutes or more and allow it to cool before drinking. 

For serving five to six people, use 20 French rose buds, 20 saffron threads, 10g dried chrysanthemum buds, 3g mandarin orange peel, 30g wolfberries and two litres of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. 

Beauty Tea

Both osmanthus and saffron are believed to be tonics for beauty. That aside, this brew is palatable, with natural sweetness from longans, red dates and wolfberries. Perfect for adding sweet festive cheer when hosting guests. 

Ingredients

For individual serving:

1g dried osmanthus

A pinch of saffron

2 red dates, use scissors to halve each date lengthwise

6g dried longan

6g wolfberries

300ml water

Method

1. Rinse all the ingredients, place them in a saucepan and add the water. 

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the brew to cool before drinking.

3. To reuse the drained ingredients, add 250ml water and boil for five minutes.

4. If you prefer steeping, place the ingredients in a cup, add boiling water and cover. Let it steep for 30 minutes or more and allow it to cool before drinking. 

For serving five to six people, use 2g dried osmanthus, 20 saffron threads, eight red dates, 15g dried longans, 12g wolfberries and two litres of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. 

Porcini, Cordyceps Flower And Old Cucumber Soup

Take a break from meaty soups this festive season and go for healthier but flavour-packed concoctions using mushrooms. 

Dried porcini from China, mainly from Yunnan or Guizhou, is known as niu gan jun in Chinese. The dried mushroom imparts a woody, earthy aroma and flavour to soups. It is believed to have immunity-boosting properties. Combine it with cordyceps flower, which is believed to moisten the lungs in traditional Chinese medicine. 

Cook the two ingredients with winter melon or old cucumber in soups. 

The soup is packed with so much flavour, you can skip salt as a seasoning.

Ingredients

30g niu gan jun (dried porcini)

30g cordyceps flowers

2 old cucumbers (780g)

3.5 litres water

10 red dates, halved lengthwise

1 honey date

20g wolfberries

Method

1. Rinse and soak the dried porcini until softened. Rinse and drain dry.

2. Rinse and soak the cordyceps flowers until softened. Rinse and drain dry.

3. Halve each old cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut each half into four large chunks.

4. In a pot, place porcini, cordyceps flowers, old cucumbers, red dates and honey date. Add the water.

5. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. 

6. Add the wolfberries and simmer for another five minutes. 

7. Serve hot. 

Makes five to six servings.

Bamboo Pith Soup

Another meat-free dish is Bamboo Pith Soup, made with the bamboo pith mushroom, also known as bamboo mushroom. Mr Cheong says bamboo pith is beneficial for detoxification of the intestines and boosting immunity.

The soup is suitable for those recovering from a bout of flu, or those who feel fatigued and have no appetite.

The mushroom, cooked in the soup, is easy on the digestive system and can help improve one’s appetite.

Ingredients

30g dried bamboo pith

2 red carrots (240g), cut into large chunks

2 sweet corn (670g), cut each into four pieces

50g yu zhu (Solomon’s seal)

10 red dates, halved lengthwise

5 dried figs

3.7 litres water

650g fresh huai shan (Chinese yam), cut into five pieces

20g wolfberries

Method

1. Rinse and soak the dried bamboo pith until softened. Snip 0.5cm off the end of the woody stem and cut into 4cm-thick rings.

2. Place the red carrot, sweet corn, yu zhu, red dates and dried figs in a pot.

3. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.

4. Add the huai shan and cook for another 15 minutes.

5. Add the bamboo pith and wolfberries, then cook for another 10 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat.

7. Serve hot.

Makes five to six servings.

Braised Mushroom

In the lead up to the festive season, dried shiitake mushrooms are a popular item at dried provision shops and supermarkets. They are a common gift during the New Year.

Dried shiitake mushrooms are a versatile ingredient that can be used to flavour soups, stir-fries and braised meats. But it can also be a star on its own, and braised mushroom is a classic dish to rustle up for the festive season or even an everyday meal.

I usually like dried mushrooms with fish maw and pork tendons, but this is a meat-free version. I am even doing away with chicken stock as dried shiitake mushrooms, on their own, are a powerhouse of flavours and textures.

For braises, the mushroom should ideally be able to withstand long cooking times. I go for large and thick Japanese shiitake mushrooms grown in China. They come without stems, making them convenient to prepare.

Ingredients

300g dried shiitake mushroom

3 Tbs cooking oil

40g ginger, sliced

6 garlic cloves, skins removed

12 shallots, skins removed

50g spring onion, knotted

1.2 litres water

70ml mushroom oyster sauce

350g broccoli

Method

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms well and soak for eight hours until softened.

2. After soaking, rinse the mushrooms thoroughly, making sure no dirt is trapped in the gills. Place in a colander to drain excess water.

3. Heat 3 Tbs of cooking oil in a wok.

4. Add the ginger slices and fry over high heat for 45 seconds until fragrant.

5. Add the garlic cloves and shallots, and fry for 45 seconds.

6. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for one minute.

7. Add the water.

8. Cover and bring to a boil.

9. Add the mushroom oyster sauce. Stir well.

10. Add the knotted spring onion stalks.

11. Cover and bring to a boil before transferring to pot.

12. Bring to a boil again and cook over medium-low heat for 90 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add more water if necessary during cooking.

13. Remove the spring onion stalks and turn off the heat.

14. When you are ready to serve, reheat the braised mushrooms and blanch the broccoli for two minutes.

15. Arrange the broccoli on a plate. Ladle the braised mushroom over the broccoli.

16. Serve hot.

Makes eight servings.