Chrysanthemum and Honey Drink (Thickened) | IDDSI Level 2 Recipe

IDDSI Level 2 (Moderately Thick) | 15 minutes | Easy

Chrysanthemum tea (菊花茶, guk fa cha) is one of the most widely consumed traditional herbal drinks in Hong Kong, found in cha chaan tengs, herbal tea shops, and every Cantonese household. Long prized for its cooling properties, mild anti-inflammatory effects, and gentle floral fragrance, it is a particular favourite among older Hong Kong residents. In its natural brewed form, chrysanthemum tea flows freely as a Level 0 Thin liquid, posing an aspiration risk for individuals on thickened liquid diets. Thickened to IDDSI Level 2 (Moderately Thick) using a commercial thickener, it retains its floral aroma and honey sweetness while meeting dysphagia safety requirements.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• 5–8 dried chrysanthemum flowers (culinary/food-grade; white or yellow varieties both suitable)
• 220ml hot water (approximately 90°C — just off the boil)
• 1.5 tsp honey (adjust to taste; also provides a subtle natural body)
• 4–6g commercial thickener powder (adjusted per product instructions to achieve IDDSI Level 2)
• 5 dried goji berries (optional; soaked and removed before serving — used only to infuse flavour, not consumed whole)

Method

1. Rinse the dried chrysanthemum flowers (and goji berries, if using) briefly under cold water to remove any dust or impurities.
2. Place the rinsed flowers and goji berries (if using) in a teapot or heatproof cup. Pour 90°C water over them.
3. Cover and steep for 5 minutes until the flowers have fully opened and the liquid is a pale golden-yellow.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer into a clean cup, pressing gently to extract all liquid. Discard all chrysanthemum petals and goji berries — both must be fully removed as they constitute solid food particles.
5. While still warm, add honey and stir until fully dissolved.
6. Allow the liquid to cool to below 60°C (approximately 3–5 minutes); then add the thickener powder following the manufacturer’s instructions for Level 2.
7. Whisk briskly for 20–30 seconds using a fork or electric milk frother; stand for 2 minutes, then stir once more.
8. Perform an IDDSI syringe test (see below); serve warm.

Texture Test

IDDSI Level 2 (Moderately Thick) confirmation: Using a standard 10ml IDDSI syringe, fill with the thickened drink and invert for 10 seconds. Between 4–8ml should flow out. The drink should move like thin syrup — pausing briefly on a tilted spoon before flowing off slowly, neither running freely nor remaining stationary.

Visual test: Spoon up a small amount and pour back slowly into the cup — the liquid should fall in a slow, thin stream and leave a faint trail on the surface before merging, rather than disappearing instantly.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Add thickener below 60°C — excessively hot liquids (above 65°C) can impair the gelling performance of some starch-based thickeners, producing an inconsistent and potentially less safe final consistency. Always allow the tea to cool before adding thickener, and retest before serving.

⚠️ All petals must be fully strained — even softened chrysanthemum petals are solid food particles and do not meet IDDSI Level 2 requirements. Use a fine-mesh sieve and visually inspect the finished liquid to confirm no petal fragments remain.

⚠️ Goji berries must be removed entirely — if goji berries are used for flavour, they must be completely removed during straining. Whole or partial goji berries constitute solid food and must not remain in the drink.

⚠️ Honey is not suitable for infants under 12 months — this recipe is intended for adult dysphagia patients. If preparing for an infant, substitute honey with a small amount of rock sugar syrup.

Sourcing Outside Hong Kong

For international care kitchens and home cooks outside Hong Kong, Cantonese ingredients are widely available at East and Southeast Asian grocery stores:

• United Kingdom: Wing Yip (Birmingham, London, Manchester), See Woo (London), Loon Fung (London)
• United States: 99 Ranch Market (West Coast), H Mart (East Coast), local Chinatown grocers
• Canada: T&T Supermarket (national chain), local Asian markets
• Australia: Burlington Supermarket, Tang’s, local Chinese grocers in Chinatown precincts
• Singapore & Malaysia: Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice (Singapore); Tesco, Mydin (Malaysia)
• Online: Sous Chef (UK/EU), Amazon.com (US), Yami.com (US)

Dried chrysanthemum flowers (菊花): East Asian grocers and Chinese herbal shops; Wing Yip, H Mart, T&T. Also available online via Yami.com.

If a specific ingredient is unavailable in your region, the recipe notes alternative substitutions in the Ingredients section. For dishes requiring fresh Cantonese-specific ingredients (e.g. preserved century egg, fresh rice noodle rolls), check with your local East Asian grocer before substituting — texture compliance for IDDSI levels may require specific products.

Nutrition

Approximately 35–45 kcal per serving (200ml), 9–11g carbohydrate (primarily from honey). Chrysanthemum contains flavonoids including luteolin and quercetin with antioxidant and mild anti-inflammatory properties. Honey provides natural sweetness along with trace minerals and antimicrobial compounds. The drink is relatively low in calories and should not be relied upon as a primary energy source, but as a between-meal hydration beverage it offers a culturally meaningful and palatable way to support adequate fluid intake in elderly residents who may resist drinking plain thickened water.

Cultural Note

Chrysanthemum tea occupies a central place in Cantonese health culture. It is considered a 涼 (cooling) herbal drink used to counteract the internal heat that Cantonese medicine associates with hot weather, rich foods, or stress. In Hong Kong’s dim sum restaurants, large metal teapots of chrysanthemum tea are brought to tables as standard service. Offering a thickened version in elder care settings means residents with dysphagia need not be excluded from this deeply familiar ritual — a drink that carries memories of tea houses, family meals, and decades of daily life.