Spicy Cold Cure
It's that time of year when the common cold seems to move through the house like wildfire, inflicting nearly every family member with a stuffy nose, a lingering cough, a headache, sleepless nights, etc. I'm knocking on all of the wood around me, as I've not yet come down with it. But should I, this is my go-to tonic for treating a nasty bout of flu, which I read about on Remodelista a few years back when I was stuffed up and desperately seeking a natural cure. (I'm no fan of drugstore cold medicines.) This tasty brew contains lemongrass, ginger, honey, chili peppers and tea and packs a flavorful and spicy punch. I'm headed to the store right now to get some fresh lemongrass (since I used it all in last night's batch of Chicken Curry), as Stephan's been under the weather all week.
Ingredients
Quart of water
Fresh ginger root (peeled and sliced thin). The more the better (about 1/4 cup or a good-sized chunk before slicing)
2 lemongrass stalks (stem and tip cut off and outside first layer removed), sliced in half lengthwise and then cut in 3-inch long pieces.
1 small red chili pepper, sliced very thin
1 small green serrano chili pepper, sliced very thin
1 good shake of crushed red pepper flakes
Honey to taste and to balance the heat from the chili
2 tea bags of preferably lemongrass tea, but any black tea will do as well
Preparation
Bring a quart of water to a boil in a large saucepan and add all of the above ingredients.
You can keep this on a low simmer for a long time; just add a bit more water as needed.
Drink as desired throughout the day.
