Korean-Style Lemon Tea
There are a couple of different versions of Korean lemon tea. It begins with a lemon syrup, a staple in Korean households that is used to make not only tea, but cold lemonade, and lemon sauce. The original version uses a lemon-like fruit called a Yuzu. Our version uses lemons and your choice of sugar or honey.
Ingredients
- 5 lemons
Sugar
- 2 cups sugar
Honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup honey
Tea
- 1-3 teaspoons syrup to taste
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- Use a pinch of baking soda and cold water to scrub the lemons clean. You will be using the peel as well as the fruit, so this is important.
- Make sure you boil your jars and seals well beforehand, so that they are fully dried before you begin. Lingering moisture around the seal area can cause mould.
- Slice the lemons as thinly as you can discarding all the seeds as you go along.
Sugar
- Mix the lemon slices and sugar gently in a large bowl, taking care to coat all side.
- Pour the lemons into a clean glass jar with an airtight lid. Spoon in any sugar/juice left in the bowl.
Honey
- Mix the honey and water in a small saucepan and heat slightly, stirring until just dissolved.
- Remove from heat, and pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the lemon slices, and stir to coat evenly.
- Pour a little honey into the bottom of the jar.
- Add about a third of the lemon slices.
- Pour over the honey to cover.
- Repeat until the jar is full.
Both
- Seal the jar. Store in a dark area at room temperature for one day, turning the jar about halfway through the day.
- Refrigerate and store another two days, turning at least once per day.
Tea
- Dissolve one to three teaspoons of the syrup in 1 cup of hot water and stir.
Notes
Note: There should be about an even 1:1 ratio between the lemons and sweetener, so if you are using very large or small lemons, you will want to adjust the sugar or honey accordingly.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
