Jujube Paste Tea: A Nourishing Winter Elixir
Making Winter Health Elixir: Jujube Paste and Jujube Tea from This Year’s Dried Jujubes
This year, the jujubes are said to have been particularly abundant! Before the fresh dried jujubes became available, I decided to make jujube paste using the dried jujubes I bought last year and stored in the refrigerator. While using the ‘O-ku’ (a type of slow cooker) made the process easy, straining the paste through a sieve proved to be quite challenging. After much effort, I finally completed this delicious and precious jujube paste. It’s wonderful spread on toast like jam, perfect for dipping tteok (rice cakes), or mixed with hot water to make a warming tea. My husband couldn’t wait and was already dipping his tteok into it before I could even put it in a container! Enjoy this nourishing treat.
Ingredients- 500g dried jujubes
- 2kg honey
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing the dried jujubes. Rub them gently with your hands multiple times under running water to clean them thoroughly. Then, soak the jujubes in clean water for about 10 minutes to soften them, followed by another gentle rub to remove any remaining dirt.
Step 2
After washing, drain the jujubes well using a sieve. Ensuring they are well-drained will help in the subsequent steps.
Step 3
Now, let’s start making the jujube paste. Place the drained dried jujubes and the honey into the inner pot of your ‘O-ku’ or a similar slow cooker.
Step 4
Close the lid of the ‘O-ku’ and select the ‘Red Ginseng Preserve’ course (or a similar slow cooking setting). This course typically runs for about 6 hours, allowing the jujubes to cook down and become very soft.
Step 5
Once the cooking cycle is complete, carefully transfer the cooked jujube mixture to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Use a spatula to press and mash the jujubes through the sieve. This step is crucial for separating the smooth paste from the skins and pits, resulting in a fine jujube paste.
Step 6
Prepare your storage containers by sterilizing them, preferably by boiling them in hot water. Once sterilized and dried, carefully spoon the smooth jujube paste into the containers.
Step 7
Don’t discard the remaining jujube pulp left in the sieve! You can add more water to this pulp, strain it again to remove any leftover skins and seeds, and then simmer it to create a delicious jujube tea. This is a fantastic way to utilize all parts of the jujube, and it makes a wonderfully flavorful tea.
Step 8
Allow the jujube paste to cool completely before sealing the containers. Store the jujube paste in the refrigerator. Consuming it regularly will be very beneficial for your health during the winter season.
