Hawthorn Fruit Syrup (Shan Zha Guo Jiang)

Why people make this syrup

Fresh hawthorn berries appear in the autumn — small, deep red, and eye-catching. Hawthorn has one of the longest track records in Chinese food therapy for helping the body process rich, fatty food and easing the sluggish, heavy feeling that follows a big meal. Rather than eating the fresh berries daily (which can be quite sour and hard on the stomach in large amounts), this syrup approach lets you cook down a large batch, store it in the fridge, and simply stir a spoonful into warm water whenever you need it. It keeps for a good while and is convenient enough to actually use.