Sweet Rice Drink (Sikhye) with Floating Rice Grains
[Our Variety Gyeonggi-mi Chamdream] Making Sikhye with Lively Rice Grains
I made a rice drink using delicious rice.
Ingredients- 200g Rice (Gyeonggi-mi Chamdream variety)
- 200g Malted Barley Powder
- 3L Water
- 5 Tbsp Sugar (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing the malted barley. Place 200g of malted barley powder into a fine-mesh cloth bag. Submerge this bag in 1.5L of the 3L water and let it soak for about 30 minutes until the powder is well hydrated.
Step 2
Now, gently knead the malted barley in the cloth bag to release its flavor and enzymes into the water. Squeeze the bag repeatedly to extract a milky liquid. Continue this process until you have a good amount of this cloudy liquid. Strain this liquid through a fine sieve to remove any large particles, keeping only the clear liquid part.
Step 3
Next, prepare the rice for the sikhye. Wash 200g of the ‘Gyeonggi-mi Chamdream’ rice thoroughly and cook it. Aim for a slightly firm, not mushy, rice consistency. This will help the rice grains float nicely in the finished sikhye. Have your freshly cooked, warm rice ready.
Step 4
Combine the rice and the malted barley liquid for fermentation. Let the strained malted barley liquid sit undisturbed for about 2 hours. During this time, the sediment will settle at the bottom. Carefully scoop out the clear liquid from the top, leaving the sediment behind. Pour this clear malted barley liquid into a rice cooker, along with the cooked rice. Ensure the rice is submerged in the liquid. Set the rice cooker to the ‘Keep Warm’ function to begin fermentation.
Step 5
Allow the mixture to ferment in the ‘Keep Warm’ setting for at least 6 hours, or until the rice grains begin to float to the surface, indicating successful fermentation. Once fermented, transfer the entire mixture to a pot. Add 5 tablespoons of sugar (you can adjust this to your sweetness preference) and bring it to a boil. Be careful not to over-boil, as this can cause the rice grains to become too soft or break down.
Step 6
As the sikhye simmers, foam may rise to the surface. Skim off this foam diligently using a ladle. Removing the foam will result in a clearer and cleaner-tasting sikhye. Continue to simmer gently while removing any foam that appears.
Step 7
The final step is cooling! Let the cooked sikhye cool down completely. While it can be enjoyed warm, it’s most refreshing when served chilled. Refrigerate until thoroughly cold. Serve with the floating rice grains for a delicious and authentic homemade sikhye. For an extra touch, you can garnish with thin slices of ginger or pine nuts.
