• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Rachel Cooks Thai
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Pantry
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Drinks

Chrysanthemum Tea | Nam Gek Huey | น้ําเก๊กฮวย

Written by: Rachel. Published: Jun 8, 2024 · Modified: Jul 25, 2024· This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Incredibly refreshing with natural cooling properties, this iced chrysanthemum tea is the perfect drink for relaxing on hot summer days.

Chrysanthemum tea drink

This chilled chrysanthemum tea is one of the most refreshing drinks I've had the pleasure of tasting.  It's got a sweet, mellow floral flavor that works wonders to quench your thirst and keep you cool.

When my Thai husband first introduced me to this drink, he told me that chrysanthemum flowers are supposed to have natural "cooling properties".  When they're steeped in water to form a chilled drink, there are substances in the flowers themselves that help to cool you down.  This supposedly also works when the drink is served warm, in which case it can help to soothe a fever or tame a sore throat.

I don't know about the scientific evidence to support these claims, but I can tell you that this chilled chrysanthemum tea is one of the first drinks I reach for when it's hot outside.  It also pairs exceptionally well with a bowl of fiery green curry or plate of spicy chicken with holy basil!

Jump to:
  • What does Chrysanthemum Tea taste like?
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Storage
  • Recipe

What does Chrysanthemum Tea taste like?

Chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum tea has a very pleasant, mild, floral flavor. It is made by steeping dried yellow chrysanthemum flowers of the species C. morifolium in hot water. The longer it steeps, the more pronounced the flavor and color will be. In Thailand, the tea is often served quite concentrated, with plenty of sugar to offset the natural bitterness.

Ingredients

Dried Chrysanthemum flowers
  • Water: The flowers are steeped in hot water to make this chrysanthemum tea drink.
  • Dried Chrysanthemum Flowers: Once steeped in hot water, these dried flowers release their pleasant floral flavor and aroma. The longer the flowers are steeped, the stronger the flavor and color of the tea will be.
  • Sugar: In Thailand, this chilled chrysanthemum tea is served quite sweet. The sweetness makes the drink that much more inviting and refreshing. Feel free to adjust the sugar to your preferred sweetness level.
  • Ice: While chrysanthemum tea can be served warm or chilled, it is often served chilled in Thailand due to the country's warm climate. Once the tea has cooled, it should be poured over crushed ice to make an incredibly refreshing drink.

Instructions

Rinse the Chrysanthemum flowers

Rinse the dried chrysanthemum flowers to remove any excess debris.

Steep the chrysanthemum flowers in hot water

Bring water to a boil, remove from the heat, and add the chrysanthemum flowers. Allow the flowers to steep in the water until the drink is bright yellow in color.

Strain the flowers from the tea

Pour the chrysanthemum drink through a strainer to remove the flowers. Add sugar and stir to dissolve while the drink is warm.

Serve chrysanthemum tea over ice

Chill the chrysanthemum drink for several hours. Once it is cold, pour into a glass filled with crushed ice and enjoy!

Storage

Because this chrysanthemum tea drink is made with natural plant material, it should be refrigerated once it has been brewed. In the refrigerator, this tea can stay fresh for many days.

Chrysanthemum drink

If you're looking for an incredibly refreshing drink, this Thai version of chrysanthemum tea is for you. It's sweet and cold and has a really pleasant floral flavor. It's the first drink I reach for on hot summer days!

Recipe

Chrysanthemum tea drink

Chrysanthemum Drink | Nam Gek Huey | น้ําเก๊กฮวย

Incredibly refreshing with natural cooling properties, this iced chrysanthemum tea is the perfect drink for relaxing on hot summer days.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Thai
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 57kcal
Author: Rachel

Equipment

  • Tea Strainer

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 3 Tablespoons dried chrysanthemum flowers
  • 2-4 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup crushed ice

Instructions

  • Rinse the dried chrysanthemum flowers to remove any excess debris.
  • Bring the water to a gentle boil, remove from the heat, and then add the chrysanthemum flowers. Allow the flowers to steep in the water until the drink is bright yellow in color, anywhere from 10-30 minutes. This will result in a strong floral flavor. If you prefer a less pronounced flavor, steep for less time.
  • Pour the chrysanthemum drink through a strainer to remove the flowers. Add sugar and stir to dissolve while the drink is still warm. Start with 2 Tablespoons, and add more as you like. For a very sweet taste like how it's often served in Thailand, use 4 Tablespoons sugar.
  • Chill the chrysanthemum drink for several hours. Once it is cold, pour into a glass filled with crushed ice, and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 5mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.03mg
Love this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

More Thai Drink Recipes

  • Two glasses of Thai Pink Milk (Nom Yen) with pink straws.
    Thai Pink Milk (Nom Yen)
  • Thai Lime Tea known as Cha Manao with a slice of lime on the side
    Cha Manao (Thai Lime Tea)
  • Hibiscus Juice
    Hibiscus Juice | Nam Krachiap | น้ำกระเจี๊ยบ
  • Butterfly Pea Lemonade
    Butterfly Pea Lemonade | Nam Anchan Manao | น้ำอัญชันมะนาว

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Rachel

    June 27, 2011 at 9:27 pm

    Hi Christine - Thanks for visiting my site! I'm so pleased to have my chrysanthemum drink post featured on Foodista!

    Reply
  2. Christine@Foodista

    June 26, 2011 at 1:42 am

    Hello Rachel,
    We've selected you as our Foodista Drink Blog of the Day for this June 30, 2011! Your blog (regarding Chrysanthemum Drink) will be featured on the Foodista homepage for 24 hours. Besides posting your link on the homepage, we will also post a couple shout outs on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
    Since you are now a part of the Foodista Featured Drink Blogger of The Day Community, we've created a special badge for you to display proudly on your blog sidebar. I couldn't find your email on your blog to send you the access code for the special badge, but I want to make sure you get it if you are interested. Please send me an email and I'll send it right away.
    We are really enjoying your blog and look forward to seeing your recipes, tips and techniques on Foodista! If you would not like to be recognized on Foodista please let me know and I will remove your blog from our queue.
    Cheers,
    Christine @ Foodista

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Rachel Cooks Thai profile
Sawadee Ka and Welcome

I'm Rachel. After falling in love with a Thai guy, I was immersed in the world of Thai food. Join me as I cook food from my husband's homeland, one delicious dish at a time!

More about me →

Follow me

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • YouTube

Seasonal Recipes

  • Garlic chives stir fried with white pepper and soy sauce.
    Garlic Chives Recipe with Tofu
  • Yum Woonsen
    Yum Woonsen (Glass Noodle Salad)
  • Black Sticky Rice with Mango
    Black Sticky Rice with Mango
  • Pla Goong
    Thai Shrimp Salad | Pla Goong | พล่ากุ้ง

Popular Recipes

  • A plate of Pad Kee Mao / Drunken Noodles with rice noodles, chicken, peppers, baby corn, carrots, long beans, young green peppercorns, and holy basil from the top down view
    Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao)
  • Pad Kra Pao
    Holy Basil Stir Fry with Chicken | Pad Kra Pao Gai | ผัดกระเพรา
  • Som Tam
    Green Papaya Salad | Som Tum Thai | ส้มตำไทย
  • Thai Fried Tofu
    Thai Fried Tofu | Tau Hu Tod | เต้าหู้ทอด

Footer

↑ back to top

INFO

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

BROWSE

  • Recipes
  • Guides
  • Pantry

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © Rachel Cooks Thai 2024

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.