Originally Posted by waves

(Mari, just omit the lemon, it will be ok all the same)

Ingredients - spices

• cloves - 3 - 4
• ginger - 4-5 fine (1mm) slices of fresh ginger root, (peeled if golden brown kind, unpeeled ok if "young" pink translucent kind) OR at least 1/4 tsp dried pre-ground (more ok, to taste)
• cardamom - 3 seeds, pod removed, inner membrane removed, sticky seeds separated from each other.
• coriander 7-8 seeds hand-crushed, OR about a half-tsp pre-ground

Ingredients - other

• honey - about 2 tsp or to taste - drink should be somewhat sweet
• lemon - 1/4 large or 1/3 small.
• tea - optional

Directions - long method:
Prepare a decoction with the spices by placing in a small pan or heatable cup, and bringing to a boil, allowing then to simmer for at least 10 minutes or until the water becomes golden colored (the cloves cause the coloring, the cardamom to a lesser extent. if you do not use cloves, just go by time.)

Pour the decoction through a strainer into a cup to filter out the spices which can be discarded, except the ginger, which if you like raw ginger (it will not be cooked), is edible and very good for you. I sometimes transfer the ginger slices into the bottom of the mug and eat them afterwards.

If using tea, add it now to steep for your usual amount of time or a little LESS. Remove the tea.

Add honey and stir until dissolved.

If using lemon (NOT MARI) squeeze it in now, AFTER the honey. Reuse the strainer to avoid the seeds.

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Directions - quick method:

Dump all the spices into a mug. poke at the ginger with a fork to break the fiber and help it release its juices and oils. Boil some water (stove better, but even if microwave, do the water separately - do not nuke the spices). Pour the water over the spices. Add tea if you are using it. Remove the tea after the usual time or less, but whether using tea or not, allow the spices to steep about 5 minutes, better if with the mug covered.

Using powdered ginger saves some hassle.

Add the honey, then the lemon - in that order. (dissolving the honey will lower the temp. of the water, so that less of the vitamin C in the lemon will be destroyed by the heat.)

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Drink up, and inhale the vapours as you do so, as they contain essential oils.
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I often do the quick method using just ginger/cardamom, ginger/cloves, with powdered ginger which is no fuss. However all the spices have helpful properties and they are best brought out by decoction.

The beverage is best with lemon, but can be had without.

Adjust the ingredients to taste after the first trial... if you try it, lol.

~ waves ~

Originally Posted by Mari

Hi, Waves,

A guy at work across the hall today had a wicked horrible cold. He was making lots of "cold" noises -- to the point he was disruptive. He and I rarely talk but I wanted to help him because he sounded pathetic.
I printed the Mucinex page, circled the DM, wrote "check with pharmacist," and put it on his desk in front of him. He said he would stop at a pharmacy on the way home.

I told him that I would be emailing him a recipe for clove-ginger-cardamom-tea. He was grateful. He has Jamaican friends who gave him various recipes with rum. He liked my ideas better.
Work buddy was appalled because this guy has been blocking us at every move. Work buddy expects to get a nasty email re my encounter.

I told work buddy that the guy was sick and I knew I could help him.