What is the cooking time for Gou Teng?

• A. No time; eat raw
• B. No more than 30 minutes
• C. No more than 5 minutes
• D. No more than 10-20 minutes

Answer: (D)

Gou Teng needs only a short simmer because its active components extract quickly and prolonged heating can dull its effects and increase bitterness. In practice, delicate or easily degraded constituents are best preserved by a shorter decoction, often added toward the end of the boil so they aren’t overcooked. The recommended duration falls in a no-more-than-10-to-20-minute range, which balances sufficient extraction with preservation of potency and tolerability. Eating it raw isn’t appropriate for this herb, and boiling much longer (like 30 minutes) isn’t necessary and can diminish its effect. A very brief decoction, within that 10–20 minute window, is the most appropriate approach.