Herbs(cooking and drinking)
The Kind of Container
The best container is ceramic. Glass and non-reactive metal (such as stainless steel) are okay. It is important that you need a teapot with lid. Materials to avoid include cast iron or aluminum, which may interact with Chinese herbs then causing chemical reactions that can alter the therapeutic effect of the herbs, so you should avoid using them.
Water
In ancient times the source of the water used in the tea was an important issue. Some teas required water from a spring; others called for water collected during a rain. Nowadays, any drinking water is acceptable.
Cooking
Soak the herbs. Place the herbs into the water. The water should cover the herbs by about 2 centimetres (two or three cups of water should be okay). If you have enough time to do the preparations before cooking, you can soak the herbs for half an hour or even one hour. In this way, the herbs can absorb the water completely.
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