Rain poured after a scorching day. Under normal circumstances, it should've been good except I was caught out in the middle of nowhere, bone tired and not having eaten anything all day but half a piece of toast. What do you think happened?

Well, let's just say I'm still nursing an unstable tummy and a cough with only one thing: organic ginger tea. That's all I'm taking and it works!

From ancient times, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been known to have medicinal properties. Thought to be a native of the southern parts (warmer) of Asia, it now grows the world over.

Ginger has known antibacterial properties to calm the digestive tract which both settles the stomach and prevents vomitting. It also helps against the formation of ulcers, relieves diarrhoea, aids blood circulation, prevents arthritis and most especially for me, relieves cold symptoms.

Here's my family's traditional simplest recipe for ginger brew:

2 pcs. ginger root, crushed
5 cups tap water
lemons
honey or brown sugar

In a pot, boil crushed ginger and water for around fifteen minutes. Turn off heat and let steep for another five.

Fill a cup with the infusion, squeeze the equivalent of one lemon to a cup. Sweeten with honey or sugar to taste.

The recipe can be adjusted and enjoyed as a tisane by adding more water in proportion to ginger.