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Sugarcane and cogon root drink
竹蔗茅根水: bamboo cane, cogon grass root and carrot simmered into a clear, softly sweet amber drink
Ask a Hong Kong family what they drink at the first hint of a sore throat in autumn, or when the city's spring humidity sets in, and many will say jook je mao gun soi. Lengths of thin green bamboo sugarcane, split open, are simmered with dried cogon grass root and carrots, sometimes with water chestnuts and a few dried corn silks, into a pale amber broth that tastes of sugarcane, sweet carrot and a faint grassiness. It is drunk warm after dinner or chilled from the fridge during the day, and herbal tea shops sell it by the bottle for children who refuse the bitter stuff. The common mistake is skipping the splitting of the cane: whole sticks barely release any sweetness, and you end up adding sugar. Bash each piece with the back of a cleaver until it cracks lengthwise. The drink is ready when the carrots are soft, the liquid is clear and light amber, and it tastes naturally sweet. Bamboo cane and cogon root are sold as soup packs in Chinese grocers; ordinary purple or green sugarcane works too. It is traditionally drunk to 'clear heat', but it is a refreshment, not a cure. Chef's tip: add a few peeled water chestnuts for extra crunch-sweetness.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb bamboo sugarcane (jook je)cut into 10 cm lengths; any sugarcane works
- 2 carrotsabout 250 g, peeled and cut into chunks
- 10 ½ cups water
- 6 fresh water chestnuts (optional)peeled
- ⅔ oz rock sugar (optional)only if needed
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Scrub the 1 ⅓ lb bamboo sugarcane (jook je) under running water, then split each piece lengthwise: lay it on a board and bash it with the back of a cleaver or a rolling pin until it cracks open.
8 minStep 2: Rinse the 1 oz dried cogon grass root (mao gun) in a sieve under cold water, rubbing it between your fingers to remove dust.
2 minStep 3: Put the cane, cogon root, 2 carrots, 6 fresh water chestnuts and 10 ½ cups water in a large pot and bring to the boil over high heat.
10 minStep 4: Reduce to a gentle simmer, partly covered, and cook for 50 minutes until the carrots are very soft and the liquid is light amber and clearly sweet.
50 minStep 5: Taste and stir in ⅔ oz rock sugar only if needed. Strain and drink warm, or cool and refrigerate; it keeps 3 days in the fridge in a clean bottle.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sugarcane and cogon root drink take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 65 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 carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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