Korean Licorice Pear Tea (Sweet Root and Fruit Brew)

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Gamcho-bae-cha is a Korean herbal tea that simmers licorice root and Korean pear together so the root's natural sweetness and the fruit's light juice meld into a single, unified infusion.

The licorice is rinsed in cold water for five minutes to temper any harsh edge, and keeping it to about three grams per serving prevents the sweetness from becoming cloying. Jujube and ginger join the pot for fifteen minutes to deepen the base, then the pear goes in for a final eight to ten minutes until its flesh softens and its juice infuses the broth. The tea is strained clear and served with honey and a few pine nuts whose mild, fatty richness floats on top of the sweetness. In traditional Korean medicine, licorice root is used to soothe coughs and throat irritation, and the pairing with pear traces back to remedies historically recommended for dry or sore throats during seasonal transitions. Chilled and refrigerated, it works equally well as a cooling summer drink, while served hot it is associated with supporting throat health in changing weather.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Korean Pear1 eaea

Dried Licorice Root6 gg

Jujube20 gg

Fresh Ginger12 gg

Water900 mlml

Honey20 gg

Pine Nuts6 gg

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Wash 1 Korean pear, then peel it and remove the core.

Slice the flesh about 5 mm thick so the pieces soften evenly and release juice within the short final simmer.
2

Control

Soak 6 g dried licorice root in cold water for 5 minutes, then rinse lightly and drain.

Do not soak it much longer, since the goal is only to reduce dust and harsh bitterness.
3

Control

Put 900 ml water, the drained licorice, 20 g jujube, and 12 g ginger in a pot.

Simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes, until the liquid turns a deeper light brown.
4

Control

Add the sliced pear and lower the heat to low.

Simmer 8 to 10 minutes more, until the pear looks slightly translucent and presses softly with tongs or a spoon.
5

Step

Turn off the heat and pour the infusion through a fine sieve, collecting only the clear tea.

Avoid pressing the pear pulp hard, because too much pressure can make the drink cloudy.
6

Finish

While the tea is warm, stir in 20 g honey and adjust the sweetness before topping with 6 g pine nuts.

Serve it hot, or chill it and refrigerate for a cold drink.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Simmering licorice root with Asian pear creates a naturally sweet, unified herbal infusion.
Finish cue: Simmer 8 to 10 minutes more, until the pear looks slightly translucent and presses softly with tongs or a spoon.
Avoid this: Do not soak it much longer, since the goal is only to reduce dust and harsh bitterness.
Storage and reheating: Chilled and refrigerated, it works equally well as a cooling summer drink, while served hot it is associated with supporting throat health in changing weather.