Winter melon tea is refreshing all summer long.

Almost every household in rural Quang Nam province grows a few winter squash vines in their garden, with some houses having over 100 plants. My aunt's garden is isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, so the air is always fresh, perhaps that's why the squash is so lush and full of fruit hanging from the trellis. Winter squash is not only a delicious food but also a valuable medicinal herb, beneficial to health, especially when eaten in the summer.

My aunt said that the darker the color of the winter melon, the more nutrients and minerals it contains, which helps improve digestion, slow down aging, and control blood sugar levels. That's why delicious dishes made from winter melon often appear on family meals. In particular, winter melon is also processed into snacks and drinks such as winter melon jam and winter melon tea…

My aunt's winter melon tea isn't complicated, but it requires meticulous attention to detail. After washing the winter melon, she cuts it into round slices about 1 cm thick and peels them. She chooses mature, large winter melons with dark green skin for making tea. Additionally, she removes the seeds before preparation, then washes them with diluted salt water. This step helps the winter melon tea taste better and prevents it from being sour. Next, she splits sugarcane into small pieces and places them at the bottom of the pot. She adds the winter melon, monk fruit, water, and rehmannia root to the pot and cooks for at least 2 hours over medium heat (monk fruit and rehmannia root are widely available at traditional Chinese medicine shops). She washes the pandan leaves and crushes them to extract the essential oils. When the winter melon is soft, she ties the pandan leaves together and adds them to the pot, cooking for about five minutes. Before turning off the heat, she adds a little rock sugar, stirring until it dissolves completely. Continue straining the liquid in the pot, then pour the winter melon tea into bottles to drink gradually.

A glass of winter melon juice with crushed ice is a nutritious and refreshing drink for hot summer days. Just one glass a day will help cool the body, promote sleep, and prevent dizziness and lightheadedness... Winter melon tea should only be consumed within a maximum of 2 days after preparation, because if left for too long, the winter melon will lose its nutrients and become unhealthy.

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