Omija hwachae (five-flavour berry punch)
Cold-steeped omija berry punch with pear flowers and pine nuts
Across Korea, Dano marks the start of the hot season, and a bowl of hwachae is the old way to cool down. Omija means 'five flavours': the dried schisandra berries are sour, sweet, salty, bitter and pungent at once, and steeping them gives a ruby-pink drink that is tart and bright, said to refresh the body against summer fatigue. Honey is the traditional sweetener; sugar syrup keeps this version vegan and entirely alcohol-free. Float thin pear flowers and a few pine nuts on top and serve it beside tteok or yakgwa. Chef's tip: steep the berries in cold water only, because hot water pulls out their bitterness and the colour turns murky.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the infusion
- 5 cups cold filtered water
For the syrup
- 4 oz sugaror honey, if you don't need it vegan
- ¾ cup hot water
To serve
- ½ Asian (nashi) pearpeeled
- 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
- ice cubes (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅜ oz dried omija (schisandra) berries in a sieve and rinse briefly under cold running water, rubbing gently to remove dust.
2 minStep 2: Tip the berries into a jug, pour over 5 cups cold filtered water, cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours, until the water is a clear, deep pink. Common mistake: pouring on boiling water to speed things up; it turns the drink bitter and cloudy.
3 minStep 3: Stir 4 oz sugar into ¾ cup hot water until fully dissolved, then let the syrup cool to room temperature.
5 minStep 4: Strain the infusion through a sieve lined with a clean muslin, without pressing the berries, so it stays clear.
3 minStep 5: Stir in the cooled syrup a little at a time, tasting, until the sourness is softened but still lively. Chill until very cold.
2 minStep 6: Slice ½ Asian (nashi) pear into 3 mm rounds and cut out small flowers with a cutter or knife.
8 minStep 7: Pour into small bowls or glasses, float the pear flowers and 1 tbsp pine nuts on top, and add ice cubes if you like. The infusion keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does omija hwachae (five-flavour berry punch) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 5 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.
- 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.
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