Maesilcha (Plum tea)

Maesilcha (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)

Maesilcha is Asian plum tea made by marinating maesil (Asian plum) with sugar or honey, and then diluting that liquid with cold or boiling water. Maesilcha is served chilled in the summer. It is high in organic acids, which are good for relieving physical fatigue, quenching thirst and stimulating appetite.

Ingredients

● 500g plum, 500 g sugar, 2 tsp pine nuts, 2.16 kg water

1. Wash the plums in water, remove stems, wash again, and then drain water with a strainer for 2 hours.

2. Put the plums and sugar in a jar layer by layer.

3. Cover the top with enough sugar to cover all the plums.

4. Seal the jar tightly and let it sit for more than 2 months until the plums have withered.

5. Filter the plums out through strainer and collect only the plum juice.

6. Dilute 30g of plum juice with 90 g of water, top with pine nuts.

Tips

● Plum juice may be diluted in hot water to drink.

● Plum juice can be kept in cold storage for a long time.

● The jar for fermenting plums should be kept in a cool place.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)