Handmade herbal tea of ​​shell ginger

For women who are busy raising children, nursing care, and working, it is a luxury to slowly have a cup of tea for themselves sitting down to drink.
When I can do that, I feel happy after all, so I often try it.

However, it’s okay to boil water in an electric kettle, but it doesn’t reach the point where I can make tea.
Even if I could make tea in the morning, I notice it remain cold at night.

When I’m busy and don’t have time to calm down, I really need time to brew a cup of hot tea, so I won’t give up.

Many of the plants that grow on the island are medicinal herbs

I first learned about shell ginger when I started living on the island.
We say that most of the plants that grow on the island are medicinal herbs, but it is this shell ginger that we usually use of most.

Shell ginger has a bactericidal effect and a beauty effect, and is famous as tea and lotion, and the leaves are used instead of bamboo leaves when steaming rice cakes.
Dry the stems and use them as ingredients for making folk life tools.
Stew the roots, stems, and leaves to get the dyeing liquid that dyes orange or pink.
Taking advantage of its bactericidal effect, it is also used as a partition for sashimi and preserved foods.

Shell ginger tea can be made in 10 minutes using a microwave oven, so I sometimes make and stock it.

How to make shell ginger tea

① Take the leaves of shell ginger and wash them well.
② Cut it in half vertically so as to take the middle line.
③ Cut into small pieces.

④ Spread the kitchen paper on a plate and dry it in the microwave for about 4 minutes.
(You can dry it in the sun or fry it in a frying pan, but the microwave oven retains the most color and aroma.)
⑤ While being careful not to burn it, remove the water until it becomes dry.
⑥ Rub it by hand to make it finer. (I think you can use a mill etc.)

⑦ In the tea bag of shell ginger, put it in boiling water, boil it, cover it and steam it to bring out the color and aroma.
⑧ Your body will feel relieved even when it is warm, and you can enjoy it even when it is cold.

Shell ginger flowers and seeds

The color of shell ginger flowers is very gorgeous and wonderful.
You can also eat it by pickling it in vinegar, making it into tempura, or boiling it lightly and putting it in a salad.
You can enjoy it for a long time by picking and washing the flowers and then freezing or drying them.

Like the leaves of shell ginger, you can make tea in the microwave or frying pan.

If you mix flowers with the tea of ​​shell ginger leaves, the color will be much more gorgeous and you will feel better when you have tea.

The seed of shell ginger can be harvested from the end of summer.
If you take it before it pops and cracks, wash it well and dry it, it will pop and you can see the inside.
The seeds inside are said to have been used as a medicine to strengthen the stomach for a long time, and they resemble leaves and flowers and have a spicy scent.

Efficacy of shell ginger tea

Shell ginger tea is a staple of herbal tea in Okinawa.
It is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and can be used as a mineral supplement.
I don’t know the truth, but it has a whitening effect, so it’s the perfect tea for me who suffers from face spots.
And I’m happy that I’m not good at caffeine, non-caffeine.
Even if you drink it after the evening, it will not disturb your sleep.

Summary

Living with herbs is a longing.
When I lived in the city, I used to buy it in the market or grow it in a small planter, but the merit of living on an island is that herbs grow naturally around me.

Just by working with herbs, the scent will heal you and relieve your fatigue.
When I made a lot, I shared it with my favorite family and friends.
It’s an island with nothing, but we can get handmade herbal tea with herbs from the island.
I wish you happiness.