Korean Corn Silk Tea (Roasted Corn Jujube Grain Brew)
Quick answer
Oksusu-suyeom-cha is a Korean tea brewed by simmering dried corn silk and corn kernels in water on low heat for 25 minutes.
What makes this special
- Oksusu-suyeom-cha combines roasted corn kernels with silk for a toasty grain tea with subtle sweetness.
- Corn silk adds delicate sweetness while corn kernels contribute toasty grain depth
- Exceeding 25 minutes of simmering turns the tea astringent; timing is critical
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Rinse 12 g of dried corn silk briefly in cold water, just enough to remove dust.
- 2 Pour 1500 ml of water into a pot and add the corn silk, kernels, and 2 pitted jujubes.
- 3 When small bubbles rise around the edge and the water just begins to boil, lower the heat immediately.
Oksusu-suyeom-cha is a Korean tea brewed by simmering dried corn silk and corn kernels in water on low heat for 25 minutes. The corn silk is rinsed briefly in cold water to remove dust, then combined with kernels and jujubes in a pot where the silk releases a subtle, naturally sweet flavor and the kernels contribute a toasted grain-like nuttiness. Keeping the simmer time under control is important because over-boiling draws out an unpleasant astringency, so the tea is strained promptly at the 25-minute mark. A spoonful of honey adjusts the sweetness and a tiny pinch of salt sharpens the flavor profile; the tea works well served warm, but chilling it overnight makes the natural sweetness more pronounced and refreshing.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Rinse 12 g of dried corn silk briefly in cold water, just enough to remove dust.
Do not soak or rub it hard, then drain it with 80 g of corn kernels in a fine strainer.
- 2Control
Pour 1500 ml of water into a pot and add the corn silk, kernels, and 2 pitted jujubes.
Press the ingredients lightly so they sit under the water, then set the pot over medium heat.
- 3Heat
When small bubbles rise around the edge and the water just begins to boil, lower the heat immediately.
Keeping it at a hard boil can pull astringency from the corn silk too quickly.
- 4Control
Simmer gently on low heat for exactly 25 minutes.
The tea is ready when the liquid turns clear golden and smells like toasted grain, so avoid extending the time past that point.
- 5Step
Turn off the heat and pour the tea through a fine sieve right away.
Do not press or squeeze the corn silk, because that can make the tea cloudy and sharper in taste.
- 6Finish
While the tea is still warm, stir in 1 tablespoon of honey and 0.2 teaspoon of salt until fully dissolved.
Serve it warm, or cool and refrigerate it so the natural sweetness tastes clearer.
After the steps
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