Roasted Black Bean and Ginger Tea

Why people make this tea

Black beans have a special place in Chinese food medicine, rooted in a very old framework: “black foods enter the kidneys” and “green (inside the bean) enters the liver.” The green-cored black bean — the variety most valued in Chinese herbalism — is considered to nourish both organs at once. Nourilo has long recommended this tea as one of the most economical, accessible and genuinely useful everyday food-therapy habits: roast a batch of black beans once a week, store them in a glass jar, and just spoon a tablespoon into a teapot each morning with a couple of ginger slices. The result is a warm, nutty, slightly earthy drink that supports circulation, eases mild puffiness, and is particularly favoured by people who spend long hours at a desk or struggle with cold limbs or postpartum recovery.

To prepare the roasted black beans (batch):

Pan-roast raw black beans in a dry wok over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the skins begin to crack and split. Remove from heat, allow to cool completely, then store in a clean glass jar. Keeps for weeks.