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Oksusu-cha
옥수수차 (oksusu-cha): Korean roasted corn tea, sweet-smelling and caffeine-free
Oksusu-cha is the tea Korean households boil by the kettleful and keep in the fridge in old glass bottles, drunk instead of water with meals from Seoul apartments to Gangwon farmhouses, chilled in summer and hot in winter. Dried corn kernels are roasted until dark golden, then simmered to make a pale amber tea that tastes gently sweet and toasty, though nothing is added at all. About 0.0 g salt per glass. The usual mistake is boiling the kernels too long, which makes the tea cloudy and starchy; 15 minutes is plenty. Ready-roasted corn kernels are sold in Korean shops; if roasting your own, use dried corn, not fresh or tinned. Chef's tip: mix in a spoon of roasted barley for the classic boricha blend, rounder and more nutty, though no longer gluten free.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 6 ¼ cups water
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: If your 4 tbsp dried corn kernels (or ready-roasted corn for tea) is unroasted, toast it in a dry pan over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes, shaking often, until the kernels are dark golden and smell like popcorn. A few may pop.
10 minStep 2: Bring 6 ¼ cups water to the boil in a pan, add the roasted corn and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, until the tea is a pale amber.
15 minStep 3: Strain into a heatproof jug. Drink warm, or cool and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and serve chilled.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 8 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does oksusu-cha take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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