Licorice Slices甘草片

Classification and Origin

legumes (Fabaceae, also known as Leguminosae)

licorice (Glycyrrhiza)

Chinese licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), common licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), inflated licorice (Glycyrrhiza inflata)

甘草 (gāncǎo) — literally "sweet herb"

Type: herbal infusion from root; tea substitute (代用茶, dàiyòng chá)

Facts

the genus name Glycyrrhiza is derived from the Greek words for "sweet" and "root," i.e., literally "sweet root"; hence also the European word "licorice."

the epithet 国老 (guólǎo) underscores licorice's role as a "harmonizer" of a blend's composition.

licorice is included in a very large proportion of classical Chinese formulas — largely owing to its harmonizing function.

the sweet root is used as a natural sweetener and flavoring — in hard candies, sauces, braised snacks in aromatic broth (卤味, lǔwèi), and confectionery.

the main sweet component is glycyrrhizin, not sugar, which is why the taste is recognized as "licorice-like" rather than "sugary."

History and Culture

more than two thousand years of written tradition

licorice appears in the most ancient Chinese herbals, including the "Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica" (神农本草经, Shénnóng Běncǎo Jīng)

国老 (guólǎo), the "venerable elder" among herbs

Botany and Raw Material

perennial herbaceous plant with a powerful taproot

root and rhizome

transverse (more rarely diagonal) slices — hence the name 甘草片

radial pattern, "chrysanthemum heart" (菊花心, júhuā xīn)

from reddish-brown to grayish-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles

pale yellow, with a mealy texture (粉性, fěnxìng)

a noticeable cambium ring and radial rays

Terroir

Inner Mongolia (内蒙古, Nèiménggǔ), Xinjiang (新疆, Xīnjiāng), Gansu (甘肃, Gānsù), Ningxia (宁夏, Níngxià)

dry steppes, semi-deserts, saline and sandy soils

licorice from Ordos (鄂尔多斯, È'ěrduōsī), in particular Hanggin Banner (杭锦旗, Hángjǐn Qí)

Production

predominantly in autumn, when the root contains the maximum of stored substances

cleaning of soil and small rootlets, removal of bark where required

air and sun drying to a stably dry state

into transverse slices, sorting by thickness and diameter

Organoleptic Profile

brownish-brown on the outside; pale to deep yellow on the cut surface

faint, herbaceous-sweetish, specific

distinctly sweet, coating, with a slight herbal aftertaste

soft, with a sensation of "deep" sweetness

Chemical Composition

glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid) — a triterpenoid saponin

liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and related compounds

glabridin (more characteristic of Glycyrrhiza glabra), licochalcones (in particular, in Glycyrrhiza inflata)

polysaccharides, coumarins, trace volatile components

Health Notes

licorice is associated with the ideas of "clearing heat and relieving toxicity" (清热解毒, qīngrè jiědú) and "moistening the lungs, soothing cough" (润肺止咳, rùnfèi zhǐké)

glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, and licorice flavonoids are studied for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other activity

Brewing

approximately 3–5 g of slices (several discs) per 250–300 ml of water

hot, close to boiling, about 95–100 °C

5–10 minutes for the first infusion

2–4, as long as sweetness persists

Teaware: teapot, gaiwan, simple insulated mug, or thermos

Storage

Container: tightly sealed packaging or jar, away from extraneous odors

dry, cool, dark place

moisture, direct light, pungent smells, kitchen heat

dampness, moldy odor, loss of sweetness

Price and Authenticity

in the order of approximately 56 ¥/kg for ordinary food-grade slices; premium grades are more expensive, low-grade raw material cheaper

yellow mealy cut surface, distinct radial pattern (菊花心, júhuā xīn), pronounced sweetness, characteristic odor

root already "spent" after industrial extraction of glycyrrhizin, coarse woody portions of root, mixing of species and grades