Korean Pear Bellflower Root Tea
Quick answer
Baedoraji-cha is a traditional Korean herbal tea that is prepared through the slow simmering of Asian pears and bellflower roots.
What makes this special
- Salt-scrubbed bellflower root balances the sweet Asian pear in this traditional Baedoraji-cha.
- Salt-scrubbed bellflower root strips bitter saponins before brewing
- Pear flesh dissolves into the liquid, sweetening without sugar
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Scrub one Korean pear well with the skin on, remove only the core and seeds, and cut it into large chunks.
- 2 Peel 80 g bellflower root, sprinkle it with salt, and knead it firmly by hand.
- 3 If the bellflower root still tastes sharply bitter, soak it in lightly salte...
Baedoraji-cha is a traditional Korean herbal tea that is prepared through the slow simmering of Asian pears and bellflower roots. The processing of the bellflower root, referred to as doraji in Korean, represents an essential stage of the recipe. Because raw bellflower roots contain a sharp bitterness that can give the tea a harsh medicinal quality, the roots must be peeled and treated with salt. This involves kneading the roots firmly by hand with salt and then rinsing them with water. Repeating this sequence of kneading and rinsing two or three times is necessary to draw out the bitter compounds from the plant. The pear is prepared by removing the core and cutting the fruit into uniform chunks. The skin can either be retained or removed according to individual preference before the pieces are placed into the pot. As the pear pieces simmer, their juice integrates into the water to provide a natural sweetness without the requirement of added sugar. To complement these main components, a few slices of fresh ginger and a handful of dried jujubes are added to the mixture. The ginger introduces a subtle warmth and a slightly peppery flavor that helps to soften the herbal intensity of the bellflower root. At the same time, the dried jujubes provide a light fruity depth and give the tea its distinctive color. The ingredients are left to infuse over low heat for approximately thirty to forty minutes to ensure that the flavors from the various components are fully extracted into the water. After the simmering process is finished, the sweetness of the beverage can be adjusted with jocheong, which is a traditional grain syrup. This syrup is utilized because it blends into the liquid more smoothly than honey or granulated sugar. This beverage is traditionally served warm during seasons characterized by cold or dry air. It is often consumed when the throat feels dry or irritated, as the saponins present in the bellflower root are recognized for their soothing properties.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Scrub one Korean pear well with the skin on, remove only the core and seeds, and cut it into large chunks.
Slice 10 g fresh ginger thinly, then rinse three jujubes so they are ready for the pot.
- 2Season
Peel 80 g bellflower root, sprinkle it with salt, and knead it firmly by hand.
Rinse under running water, then repeat the salting, kneading, and rinsing two or three times to pull out harsh bitterness.
- 3Season
If the bellflower root still tastes sharply bitter, soak it in lightly salted water for 5 minutes and rinse again.
Tear it along the fibers into thick strips so it infuses evenly without turning muddy.
- 4Control
Add 800 ml water, pear, bellflower root, ginger, and jujubes to a pot, pressing the ingredients under the liquid.
Heat over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edge, then lower the heat.
- 5Control
Cover the pot and simmer gently over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
The tea is ready when the liquid turns brown, the pear softens, and the ginger and jujube aroma is clear but not harsh.
- 6Finish
Strain through a fine sieve and keep only the clear tea.
Stir in 1 tablespoon rice syrup until dissolved, adjust sweetness while warm, and serve hot or cool it before refrigerating leftovers for reheating later.
After the steps
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