Soups & Cold DishesEasy 45 min serves 4 Vegan

Authentic Sour Plum Drink (Suan Mei Tang)

Name: Authentic Sour Plum Drink (Suan Mei Tang)
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Soups & Beverages
Ingredients: dried smoked plums (wu mei); dried hawthorn slices (shan zha); rock sugar; dried osmanthus flowers

酸梅汤 · suān méi tāng

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses whole dried plums and rock sugar for gentle tartness—no artificial coloring or corn syrup, unlike commercial versions.

My grandmother in Beijing’s Hutong made this every summer afternoon—she’d strain it through a bamboo sieve into a blue-glazed ceramic pitcher and serve it chilled with a single osmanthus blossom floating on top. She said the sourness ‘cleanses the heart’ during humid days.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Quick & Easy

Ingredients

dried smoked plums (wu mei)乌梅🏮 asian50 g
dried hawthorn slices (shan zha)山楂片🏮 asian20 g
rock sugar冰糖🏮 asian80 g
dried osmanthus flowers桂花🏮 asian2 g

dried smoked plums (wu mei): Look for dark brown, wrinkled, smoke-cured plums—not sour plums sold for pickling.

dried hawthorn slices (shan zha): Substitute: 1 tsp apple cider vinegar + 1 tsp dried cranberries if unavailable.

rock sugar: Essential for clarity and smooth sweetness—granulated sugar clouds the broth.

dried osmanthus flowers: Adds floral aroma; omit if unavailable—do not substitute with orange blossom water.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Spice level

Saltiness

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Instructions

1Rinse wu mei and shan zha under cold water to remove dust. Place them in a large pot with 1.5 L (6¼ cups) cold water.
先洗再泡
🔍 Look for 1 分钟 · 1 minute
Visual: 水清澈，食材缓缓沉底。Water is clear, ingredients sink gently.
You know it's right when: 无泡沫或浑浊。No foam or cloudiness yet.
2Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to low heat. Skim off any grayish foam that rises to the surface.
见沸即调小火
🔍 Look for Low heat 2–3 分钟 · 2–3 minutes
Visual: 锅边聚起薄层灰白浮沫。Thin gray foam gathers at edges of pot.
You know it's right when: 沸腾后1分钟内出现浮沫。Foam appears within first minute of boiling.
3Add rock sugar and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes.
小火慢熬，勤搅防糊
🔍 Look for Low heat 30 分钟 · 30 minutes
Visual: 液体微减，乌梅膨软变深。Liquid reduces slightly; plums swell and darken.
You know it's right when: 每2–3秒有小泡冒出。Gentle bubbles break the surface every 2–3 seconds.
4Turn off heat. Stir in dried osmanthus and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes.
关火焖香
🔍 Look for 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 金黄色桂花在琥珀色汤中浮沉。Golden flecks of osmanthus float in amber liquid.
You know it's right when: 掀盖时升起清甜香气。Aromatic steam rises when lid is lifted.
5Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher. Discard solids. Chill thoroughly before serving over ice.
滤净渣滓，冰镇更佳
🔍 Look for 5 分钟 · 5 minutes
Visual: 汤色澄澈、呈深琥珀色，无沉淀。Clear, deep amber liquid with no sediment.
You know it's right when: 滤液顺滑，无果渣或颗粒。Liquid flows smoothly without pulp or grit.

Tips

· For best flavor, make 1 day ahead—the taste deepens overnight.
· Serve at 4°C (39°F); too warm loses its refreshing edge.
· Never reboil after adding osmanthus—it destroys the delicate fragrance.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Why doesn't my stir-fry taste like the restaurant?

Three usual culprits: (1) heat — the pan isn't hot enough, work in smaller batches; (2) finishing oil — restaurants add a teaspoon of sesame oil or chili oil at the very end for aroma; (3) seasoning balance — a pinch of sugar rounds out salty/sour/spicy, and that 'something is missing' is often just 1/4 tsp sugar or a splash of vinegar.

Source: HǎoWèi cooking science