Healthy tonic for hot days

MUM'S the word in the heat of the summer. Or guk fa. Chrysanthemum tea is the unsung hero of summer drinks. Not all Chinese herbs are bitter, vile, disgusting bits of shrunken roots, shrivelled leaves or the private parts of endangered animals.

Some are actually quite delightful. Take chrysanthemum, for example, And many do, when hot weather hits because it not only tastes good, but also leaves you feeling better, in spite of the heat.

Chrysanthemum has two roles in local Chinese gastronomy. In winter, its resinous leaves are marketed as a distinctive leafy vegetable, known as tong ho in Cantonese or shungiku in Japanese.

But the tea is made from the flowers of a slightly different species, known as guk fa. These are available in Chinese herb shops, either pre-packaged (often displayed out front) or bought over the counter by the tael.

Guk fa is also sold in grocery stores, either alone, mixed with honeysuckle flowers, or in the combination known as 'five flower tea', or ng fa cha/wu hua cha. In any case, they are meant to be made into pleasing drinks.

The herb as sold in the shops looks just like what it is: the heads of a white daisy-like flower. The best quality have white petals with a brilliant yellow centre; they smell fresh, with the characteristic fragrance. In older flowers, both yellow and white fade to grey, and the fresh fragrance dissipates.