I was having a hard time finding the right English name for this beautiful Korean drink.
The name in Korean is Bae-daechu-gyepy-sanggang-ggool cha (배 대추 계피 생강 꿀차). Yes, it is a long name but shorter than the famous “Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo”.
It basically says what’s in it. It has Korean pear, Korean dried Jujube (a type of date), cinnamon, ginger, and honey. Most people call it “daechu cha” since the dried jujube is the most important ingredient.
I typed “Harvest Punch” as the recipe title. Then I realized that this drink doesn’t have much connection with ‘Harvest’ theme. But it serves more than just punch drinks do.
Let me tell you about this incredible hot drink.
If you or your loved one is suffering with mean cold/flu and complaining for sore throat and coughing, try this drink.
It is not a cure (nothing can cure the cold/flu as you know) but it will help ease your discomfort with ingredients from the mother nature. It is 100% natural. No alcohol, no caffeine, no chemicals, no high fructose corn syrup, no gluten…
This is Korean remedy for cold. The dried jujubes are one of the most incredible thing to fight with cold. It contains 20 times the amount of vitamin C as citrus fruits. The vitamin and mineral content of the fruit helps to soothe the stomach, ease sore throats, suppress the appetite, support cardiovascular health, enhance metabolism and cleanse the blood vessels.
Not only this drink is good as hot remedy for cold, but it will make a great cold punch as well. Perfect for festive gathering. After you simmer all the ingredients, sweeten with sugar/honey and chill. Then pour ginger ale to mix and garnish with pine nuts. Superb fall punch ready in snap.
It is super easy to make and tastes just like fall season.
You will need; ginger, dried jujubes, cinnamon sticks, and Asian pear.
You can find dried jujubes in most Korean stores around this time of the year.
Quarter the pear and remove the seeds.
Slice ginger thinly. I don’t bother to peel the ginger since I cleaned it well.
Slice each jujube in 3 sections. The center piece will have the seed.
If you are not the slicing type cook, you can skip this slicing and use them as a whole.
Put everything in a pot with water and add the cinnamon sticks. Bring it to boil first, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour, covered.
You will get this gorgeous amber colored liquid. Strain the juice and discard everything else. Sweeten with honey when you serve as a tea.
As for a cold punch, sweeten with honey or sugar first, then chill in the fridge until ready to use. Mix with ginger ale and sprinkle a little bit of pine nuts. Now you have a gorgeous and classy fall punch ready to serve.
Can I share with you something great that happened to me?
This is Singapore food & travel magazine November issue. I am so proud to tell you that some of my easy Korean recipes are introduced in this month’s issue. Hefty 4 pages! …with a brief author introduction.
My kids think I’m famous… I don’t think the fame is my thing in life but I certainly enjoy seeing my hard works gloriously shown on a published form of paper. Better keep this issue in my safe box…, so that my posterity throughout the generations can see. LOL!
Love,
Harvest Punch
Ingredients
- 25 pieces dried jujube (daechu) sliced
- 1 large Asian pear quartered and seeded
- 3 " piece ginger thinly sliced
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 quart 2.8 liter water
- good honey or/and sugar to sweeten
- 1.5 liter ginger ale to make cold punch, optional
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot combine jujube, pear, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or a little longer.
- Strain the juice to reserve and discard the everything else.
- Sweeten with honey when you serve as a tea.
- To make punch, sweeten the juice with sugar or/and honey, chill in the fridge until cold. Before you serve, pour ginger ale and mix.
- Sprinkle pine nuts to garnish.
One of my favourite drinks in Korean restaurants!
Congratulations on the mag feature. Your punch certainly looks like it could cure a cold and lift the spirit. Thanks for sharing and I think the name is great:)
Thank you, Nancy. I am glad that you like the name! 🙂
OOOoooh! How delicious it sounds! I wonder if I’ll be able to find jujubes in Sweden? I will definitely keep a look out because I really want to try this! Or, is there any possible substitute for it?
Best,
Sara
http://saraforsoker.blogspot.se/
Congrats on the feature in the magazine! The drink sounds delicious. I will be heading out to the Korean store tomorrow to promptly make this. :-).
Thank you Jade! Hope you get to find everything you need at the store.
really interesting – will have to try sometime. Congrats on the feature!
Well done on the magazine feature, that’s brilliant!
This drink looks great, think i’m going to make this and drink as a hot tea hmmmmm!
Congrats! This drink looks so delightful 🙂
Congrats on the article, Holly! This drink sounds wonderful. In my (Chinese) family, we use those dried jujubes in soups, like winter melon, to add a little sweetness to the broth. I should have known they are nutritious as well (but of COURSE they are 🙂
Congratulations on the magazine article! You’ve earned it with your easy recipes and beautiful photography.
Congratulations on being published! Well done Holly! You are famous, your kids are right! I like your punch, pine nuts add a special crunch to it… 🙂
Congrats! This is a drink that I will want to make for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a great replacement for Apple Cider. I have always want to know how to make this. Thanks for sharing!
Congrats on being in the magazine! Very well deserved. And this is a great drink. I’ve been suffering from a cold that just won’t go away for the last couple of weeks – I should definitely give this a try. Thanks so much.
Made this early this morning, as I am struggling through the holiday with a cold.
It is delicious! Such a warm, relaxing drink. Thanks so much!
🙂
Whoa, this warms you up a treat! I was lucky enough to find dried jujube in my local asian grocery store and made this straight away. Both my sister and boyfriend loved it, too. After two cups we were really steaming, though… 😉
Perfect for when its really cold outside. I’ll try the cold version tomorrow.
Thanks a lot for this lovely recipe!
I am making a Korean Christmas Dinner for my daughters. I needed a drink to go along with the meal. I found all of the ingredients at my local Korean market and it is simmering as I type. It does smell good. Thank you for the recipe. My girls can not wait…
Congrats on the feature also very good rink for fighting cold. Wish we could get jujubes here (: nice post 🙂
Hi I just made your recipe and it’s delicious! how long can it hold in the fridge? I have two big bottles now! And I was just curious about how long it last if it’s kept in the fridge?
Hi Alexandria
So happy to hear that you loved this drink. It should last about 1 week in the fridge. You can also freeze for a longer storage. Enjoy!