Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Dry and roast the roots
- Scrub the roots under running drinking water to remove all soil. Trim away the leaf bases and any damaged parts. Pat the roots dry and slice them into small, evenly sized pieces.
- Spread the pieces in a single layer. Dry them in a dehydrator or in a low oven at about 60–65°C until the pieces are brittle and snap rather than bend. Check one of the thickest pieces after it has cooled. Drying time depends on the size of the pieces and the equipment.
- Heat the oven to 160°C. Roast the dried pieces in a single layer, stirring occasionally. Start checking after 20 minutes. Take them out when they smell toasted and are deep brown, before they turn black or start to smoke. Let them cool completely.
Make one mug
- Coarsely crush 5 g of roasted root. Put it in a small saucepan with 250 ml water and bring it to a gentle boil. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Strain into a mug. Taste it black first, or add a splash of warm milk or oat drink.
Notes
Identification: Identify the plant before digging. Use only roots from confidently identified dandelions gathered from a clean, unsprayed site.
Roasting: Small pieces can darken quickly near the end. Check them often once they start to brown. A deep brown roast gives a fuller flavour; blackened pieces can make the drink taste burnt.
Strength: Start with 5 g per mug. If the drink is stronger than you like, dilute it with a little hot water. Crush the root coarsely so it is easy to strain.
Storage: Let the roasted pieces cool completely before putting them in a clean, dry, airtight jar. Keep the jar in a cool, dark cupboard and crush only what you need for each brew. Store only fully dried pieces and discard the batch if you notice mould or a musty smell.
Timing: The recipe card shows the time to make one mug from ready-roasted root. Drying, roasting and cooling are separate.