Korean Licorice Pear Tea (Sweet Root and Fruit Brew)
Quick answer
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...
What makes this special
- Simmering licorice root with Asian pear creates a naturally sweet, unified herbal infusion.
- Keeping licorice under 3g per serving prevents sweetness from drowning pear
- Adding pear in the final 8-10 min lets the flesh soften and infuse the tea
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 1 Korean pear, then peel it and remove the core.
- 2 Soak 6 g dried licorice root in cold water for 5 minutes, then rinse lightly and drain.
- 3 Put 900 ml water, the drained licorice, 20 g jujube, and 12 g ginger in a pot.
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.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
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.
- 2Control
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.
- 3Control
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.
- 4Control
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.
- 5Step
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.
- 6Finish
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.
After the steps
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