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Yuja-cha (citron tea)
유자차: thin-sliced yuja citron cured in sugar and honey into a fragrant marmalade, stirred into hot water through the Korean winter
Goheung, on the southern coast of South Jeolla, is Korea's yuja country: in November the groves turn gold and families slice the knobbly citrons for yuja-cheong, the honeyed preserve that becomes tea all winter. From December to March a spoonful in hot water is offered to guests, to students cramming late and to anyone with a scratchy throat, as it is traditionally drunk for colds. The tea is sweet, floral and sharp, with soft, chewy strands of peel that you eat at the end with a spoon. The common mistake is leaving the fruit damp or the pith too thick: wet fruit lets mould in, and thick white pith makes the preserve bitter. Scrub, dry completely and pare away any pith thicker than a few millimetres. The cheong is ready after a day or two, when the sugar has dissolved into a clear, glossy syrup around the peel. Keep it in the fridge for up to three months, always with a dry spoon; throw it away if you see fuzzy mould, smell alcohol or it bubbles. No yuja? Japanese yuzu is the same fruit; otherwise use 2 lemons and 2 mandarins. Chef's tip: soak the seeds in a little of the honey and add that liquid back for a silkier syrup.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the yuja-cheong
- 4 yuja (Korean citron)about 500 g; or yuzu, or 2 lemons plus 2 mandarins
- 1 tbsp baking sodafor scrubbing
- 9 oz sugar
- 9 oz honey
To serve
- 16 ¾ cups hot water (about 80 °C)200 ml per cup
- 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Sterilise a 1-litre jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse and dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
15 minStep 2: Rub 4 yuja (Korean citron) all over with 1 tbsp baking soda and a little water, scrub with a brush, rinse well and dry each fruit thoroughly with a cloth. Leave to air-dry 30 minutes if still damp.
10 minStep 3: Quarter the fruit, pull out the flesh and pick out every seed. Slice the peel into very thin strips, trimming away any white pith thicker than 3 mm. Chop the flesh roughly.
20 minStep 5: Pack into the jar, pressing down so the syrup covers the peel. Close and leave at cool room temperature for 1 day, until the sugar has mostly melted into a clear syrup, then refrigerate.
2 minStep 6: For each cup, spoon 2 tbsp of cheong with a clean, dry spoon into a mug, pour on 200 ml of 16 ¾ cups hot water (about 80 °C), stir and leave for a minute. Scatter 1 tbsp pine nuts on top if you like, and eat the peel at the end.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 85 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yuja-cha (citron tea) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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