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Sakurayu (salted cherry blossom tea)
Pickled cherry blossoms that unfurl in a cup of hot water
Sakurayu is not really tea at all but salt-pickled cherry blossoms steeped in hot water, and it is served all over Japan at engagements, weddings and other happy occasions, as well as in the hanami season. Green tea is avoided at such moments because "muddying the tea" is a phrase for being evasive, while a blossom opening in a clear cup is a picture of a bright beginning. The drink is pale pink, gently salty and faintly scented of cherry and almond. The blossoms are bought ready-salted (sakura no shiozuke) from Japanese grocers. Serve it with small sweets such as sakura mochi or hanami dango. Chef's tip: use water just off the boil and pour it slowly down the side of the cup, so the petals open without tearing.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 salted cherry blossoms (sakura no shiozuke)shop-bought
- 1 cup cold waterfor rinsing
- 2 ½ cups hot waterjust off the boil
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Shake the loose salt off 8 salted cherry blossoms (sakura no shiozuke) and soak them in 1 cup cold water for 2–3 minutes to remove the excess salt. Common mistake: soaking them for much longer. The blossoms lose all their scent and colour, and a little saltiness is part of the drink.
3 minStep 2: Lift the blossoms out, gently squeeze them and put two in each cup, stems down.
1 minStep 3: Pour 2 ½ cups hot water slowly down the side of each cup. Wait about a minute, until the petals spread out and the water turns the palest pink, then serve. Taste first, and add a splash of the rinsing water if you like it saltier.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 2 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sakurayu (salted cherry blossom tea) take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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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