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Herbs & Cultures

Korean hanbang and the Donguibogam →

Daechu-cha, jujube tea

A sweet, dark tea of dried jujubes, simmered until almost syrupy.

Traditional use

Time
1 hour
Makes
4 cups
Image of Daechu-cha, jujube tea
가을들녁 · CC BY 2.0 KR

Dried jujube (daechu) appears in many Korean dishes and in a large share of hanbang recipes. As a tea it is simmered for a long time, often with a piece of ginger. The result is naturally sweet and is considered calming in Korea, and good for those who are tired.

Ingredients

  • 15 dried jujubes
  • 1 small piece of ginger (about 2 cm), sliced
  • 1.2 litres water
  • To taste: honey
  • Optional: pine nuts

Step by step

  1. Rinse the jujubes and score them so the flavour is released more easily.
  2. Bring to the boil with the ginger and water and simmer gently for at least 45 minutes.
  3. Strain. For a fuller tea, press some of the flesh through the sieve.
  4. Sweeten if you like and scatter a few pine nuts on top.

Tips

  • Dried jujubes are sold in Asian supermarkets, sometimes as 'red dates'.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 636

    Jujube (red date)

    Ziziphus jujuba

    Traditionally attributed effects: sweet and strengthening in fatigue, anaemia and low energy; builds strength and blood and softens herbal dishes.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 1

    Ginger

    Zingiber officinale

    Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.