The onslaught of fresh mulberries in our garden reminds me yet again that the season is PERFECT for harvesting and making mulberry leaf tea. Here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where silkworms are as ubiquitous as the mulberry trees that feed them, the humidity is down from 75-95% to about 50-55% and the days are long, dry & very hot. PERFECT for shade-air-drying some organic mulberry leaf tea for the long rainy & cool seasons ahead.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mulberry Leaf is known as 桑叶 or Sāng Yè. It's TCM nature is Cold, its TCM tastes are Bitter & Sweet & the organ affinities are Liver & Lung. Me & Qi Database Mulberry
It's amazing to think that after the lusciousness of weeks and weeks of yummy fresh berries literally raining down, the humble little tree also provides natural medicine in the form of a gentle, pleasant tasting tea to last for the rest of the year. Sometimes I just have to pause and marvel at the abundance.
Harvesting the leaves is a careful job - as we don't want to use just ANY leaf. The large, very mature leaves carry a white latex-like substance in the large veins that you see under the leaves, which is very mildly toxic to humans.
We DON'T want the really big, mature leaves!!
The leaf on the lower left is about as big as you should take, and you an see the veins are whiter than on the smaller leaves.
Ideally, we harvest the healthy leaves that are on the small side.
I soak my leaves for 20 mins in a large stainless steel bowl with cold water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda added. Just to be sure there are no mold spores or microscopic insect eggs.
Be sure to rinse very well afterwards, so the tea doesn't carry any residual bitterness from the Bicarbonate of Soda.
Next step in to shred the leaves very finely. In true Asian style, a cleaver has become my go-to in the kitchen for most everything. 😆
And then spread in a thin layer in the special herb drying baskets. That's how we do it, Thai style.
Thai baskets are slightly curved underneath, which optimizes airflow. I simply cover with a thin muslin cloth and put them in our spare room, which gets very warm. Please don't dry herbs in direct sunlight, as you will damage many of the healing phytochemicals.
If you don't have access to dinky handmade baskets sold at the market by a lovely old Thai auntie, it's also quite easy to put your shredded mulberry leaves in an old (not to tightly woven) pillowcase or specially made muslin drying bag. Gather it closed with a piece of string and hang in a warm, dark spot. Shake it up occasionally to redistribute the contents and make sure no mold develops in the middle.
As hot as it is in Asia right now (35-40C,95-105F most days) my mulberry tea is DRY in 3 days flat. Crisp to my touch but still a LOVELY deep shade of green.
Store AWAY from direct sunlight in an airtight container.
Planning ahead for Christmas giving? Now is the PERFECT TIME to stash away some tins of homemade Mulberry Leaf Tea for festive season labeling and giving.
CAUTIONS: Mulberry tea has the ability to lower your blood sugar and so must be consumed with caution by people using diabetes medications. Due to mulberry tea’s substantial levels of potassium, it is not recommended for people suffering from kidney disease. For both of these reasons, mulberry tea is also not recommended for pregnant women. Source
For the rest of us who have healthy kidneys, no diabetes and not pregnant? What a remarkable, easily available natural medicine to inclide in our day to day!
Mulberry Leaf Tea has a very mild, gentle flavor and it is not remotely bitter. I enjoy to blend it with organic green tea.
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