Korean Chrysanthemum Tea (Floral Jujube Goji Berry Brew)

Quick answer

Total time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Gukhwa-cha is a traditional Korean flower tea brewed from dried chrysanthemum buds steeped in water at 80 to 85 degrees Celsius for three to four minutes.

That temperature range draws out the gentle floral fragrance without releasing the bitter compounds that come out at a full boil. Jujubes and goji berries added to the pot contribute a mild natural sweetness from the jujubes and a faintly tart, herbal note from the goji berries, both of which round out the chrysanthemum's aroma and add visual warmth to the pale liquid. A spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon juice are stirred in at the end to brighten the finish without masking the floral base. The resulting tea is pale golden, lightly sweet, and carries a lingering scent that makes it a common after-meal drink in Korean households. Caffeine-free and mild, it is drunk in the evening without disruption to sleep, and in traditional Korean medicine the dried flower has long been associated with relieving headaches and eye fatigue.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dried chrysanthemum8 gg

water600 mlml

jujube2 eaea

goji berries1 tbsptbsp

honey1 tbsptbsp

lemon juice1 tsptsp

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Step

Quickly rinse 8g of dried chrysanthemum flowers under cold running water to remove any surface dust or impurities, then gently shake off excess moisture before starting the brew.
2

Control

Combine 600ml of water and 2 jujubes in a pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 5 minutes on medium to extract natural sweetness.
3

Control

Reduce heat to the lowest setting, then add the rinsed chrysanthemum and 1tbsp of goji berries, stirring gently so the petals bloom fully and nutrients are released properly.
4

Heat

Steep for exactly 3 minutes to capture the fragrant floral flavor, then immediately turn off the heat to prevent any bitterness from developing due to overcooking the petals.
5

Step

Strain the tea through a fine sieve into cups, then stir in 1tbsp of honey and 1tsp of lemon juice to create a perfect harmony of refreshing acidity.
6

Finish

Serve in preheated cups to maintain the ideal drinking temperature for as long as possible, and garnish with sliced jujube pieces to enhance the visual presentation.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gukhwa-cha draws out a gentle floral fragrance using a low-temperature infusion of dried chrysanthemum.
Finish cue: Serve in preheated cups to maintain the ideal drinking temperature for as long as possible, and garnish with sliced jujube pieces to enhance the visual presentation.
Avoid this: Steep for exactly 3 minutes to capture the fragrant floral flavor, then immediately turn off the heat to prevent any bitterness from developing due to overcooking the petals.