Korean Persimmon Leaf Tea

Quick answer

Total time: 26 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Gamnip-cha is a Korean caffeine-free tea made by simmering dried persimmon leaves and dried tangerine peel together - no rolling boil, just a low steady heat held for twelve minutes.

That slow extraction pulls out the soft, grassy character of the leaves while keeping astringency in check. Thinly sliced Korean pear, skin on, goes into the pot for natural sweetness and a clean brightness, and the tangerine peel stays at a small quantity so it supports rather than overtakes the leaf aroma. Once strained, honey goes in and a trace of ground cinnamon finishes the cup. With no caffeine, it works equally well in the morning or late at night.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dried persimmon leaves16 gg

water1300 mlml

dried tangerine peel3 gg

Korean pear60 gg

honey2 tbsptbsp

ground cinnamon⅓ tsptsp

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Step

Place 16 g dried persimmon leaves and 3 g dried tangerine peel in a sieve.

Rinse briefly under cold water, just enough to remove surface dust, then shake well so the leaves do not start soaking too early.
2

Prep

Wash 60 g Korean pear thoroughly and slice it thinly with the skin on, cutting around the core.

Keep the slices even so their sweetness extracts at the same pace and does not turn the tea cloudy.
3

Control

Pour 1300 ml water into a pot and add the rinsed leaves and tangerine peel.

Heat over high heat until steam rises and small bubbles gather at the edge, stopping before a rolling boil develops.
4

Control

Add the pear slices, then immediately lower the heat.

Simmer gently for 12 minutes, with only light movement in the liquid; if it bubbles hard, reduce the heat further to prevent bitterness and harsh astringency.
5

Step

Turn off the heat when the tea looks clear yellow and the grassy aroma softens.

Strain through a fine sieve without pressing the leaves or pear, because squeezing can push bitterness and pulp into the tea.
6

Control

While the tea is still warm, stir in 2 tbsp honey until none remains on the bottom.

Sprinkle only a very thin layer of 0.3 tsp ground cinnamon, so it adds aroma without covering the persimmon leaf flavor.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Low heat extraction minimizes astringency while pulling soft herbal notes from persimmon leaves.
Finish cue: While the tea is still warm, stir in 2 tbsp honey until none remains on the bottom.
Avoid this: Rinse briefly under cold water, just enough to remove surface dust, then shake well so the leaves do not start soaking too early.