How to do it best (immortality herb)

Dry leaves as winter supply

Fresh leaves are first choice when it comes to enjoying the benefits of this herb. A vigorous plant will also have plenty of leaves to pluck off some of them on a regular basis. Be it to brew a tea, for a smoothie or as a vegetable side dish.

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It will hardy Herb of immortality, however, cultivated outdoors, the parts above ground die off in autumn. It overwintered only the rhizome, from which new shoots only sprout in spring. For the winter season, dry leaves are a good alternative if you don't want to pause completely with the use of the plant.

Tips

Avoid freezing the leaves. After thawing, they are only mushy and their typical taste has largely disappeared.

Gentle drying preserves the ingredients

Medicinal herbs have to be dried gently so that the active ingredients contained therein are not destroyed. This is why the following also applies to Jiaogulan:

air dry
in the shade, not in the sun
The temperature should not exceed 40 ° C

This is how you dry optimally

Pick the jiaogulan leaves immediately before starting the drying process. Young leaves are more aromatic than old ones. Also, cut off the stems as they will adversely affect the taste.
Wash dirty fresh leaves under running water. Then carefully dry them off.
Spread the leaves on a wire rack so that air can get in from all sides. The leaves shouldn't overlap to allow them to dry faster. Alternatively, you can spread them out on a baking sheet.
Find a suitable place to dry. Either outside or in the house.
Turn the leaves regularly until they are completely dry. They can then be crumbled very easily.
Store the dried leaves in a well-closing container.

Note:
The tea made from dried leaves has a more bitter taste than that made from fresh leaves.

Possible periods for drying

Just before the blossom the leaves are most aromatic in summer. The warm days also make drying easy. But autumn is also a good time to stock up on winter supplies. Use the scissors before the above-ground shoots die off in an outdoor specimen. You can cut the tendrils close to the ground and dry all the leaves.