When I was sick last year, I really tried to take care of myself by sleeping more, popping Ester-C + Cold-FX, and being more careful about what I ate. So while I was out, I opted for sushi. (As a child, I was told that fried and cold foods were bad for sore throats.) At the end of the meal, as a sort of non-alcoholic digestif, a Cinnamon Tea was served.
The tea *definitely* hit the spot in terms of soothing my throat+warming up my insides, so naturally, I had to make it at home.
After some googling and experimenting, here’s a recipe for Korean Cinnamon Tea or Soojunggwa. And it’s perfect for your slow cooker!
Ingredients:
* 4 whole cinnamon sticks, broken in 3 pieces
* 2-3 pieces of walnut-sized fresh ginger, peeled, and julienned
* 2 dried persimmons, sliced (I used fresh ones ’cause I didn’t have the opportunity to see if the Korean grocery store carried them and I couldn’t find them in a coupla Chinese stores/Bulk Barn.)
* some chunks of rock sugar (optional, available in Asian grocery stores)
* 10-12 cups of water
Traditionally, soojunggwa has pine nuts, but I skimped on ’cause a) I’m not a fan, b) they’re pretty expensive, c) they don’t keep – they go rancid rather quickly, and d) I wasn’t planning on making pesto anytime soon!
Directions:
Place cinnamon sticks and ginger in a slow cooker filled with 10 cups of water. Boil on medium-high setting for approx. 1.5 hours. After this time, I saw that much of the water evaporated, so I topped up the slow cooker with more water. Add persimmons and rock sugar, to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and drink.
Simmering over a stovetop is also an option, but I’m not into standing and stirring so hence the slow cooker.
One recipe that I found suggested putting strained tea into a pitcher, refrigerate, and serving it cold. However, I find that if counter space is not an issue, the tea does keep well if you leave it in the slow cooker even for a few days!
(I prefer to drink it warm, so I usually ladle it into a mug and nuke it. No straining required if you do this method ’til you reach the bottom of the pot!)
I dunno about you, but I like the warmth+cinnamon combination. It’s like a warm hug on a cold day!
Keep warm and have a great weekend!
This sounds very cozy… and I personally am not afraid to throw in a little vodka (for medicinal purposes only LOL) Sounds like a great X-Mas drink, sore throat or not.
I LOVE cinnamon tea….thanks for the recipe! I’ll definitely keep it on hand for this winter!!
mmm…thanks 🙂
this sounds fantastic! thanks – will have to give it a try!
My mom makes this tea in every winter.
I usually drink it ice cold and my bf loves it too!
Try not to skip the persimmons!
@Sammers – YES, if you skip on the persimmons, the tea will lack a certain depth to it!
I could not be happier to see this post as the soo-jeong-gwa is my favorite winter drink that I always make. If you don’t have a slower cooker, you can make this tea in a pot too. It takes same amount of time like an hour. My tip for making this tea is to use brown sugars which bring out a perfect dark color of the tea. Enjoy!
I just made it and threw in a fresh persimmon that I chopped it. I honestly didn’t need ANY sugar. It was fine for me!
Dumb question, I know, but…I don’t like tea of any kind but this recipe sounds like it might not taste like “real” tea. How DOES it taste exactly?
It does not taste like real tea because it does not brew the tea leaves. It is a bit sweet and tart at the same time.
This is very good when you have inflammable symptoms. It soothes very well.
Thanks will give it a try!
Another redemdy for sore throat is mix cinnamon with honey & take by the spoonful…coats your throat when you have that awful dry cough! 🙂
Thank you SOOO much for the recipe. Ever since I left Korea I’ve been trying to find a good recipe and now I have it. This really works so well. For an extra immunity boost I might add a spoonful of dried Korean ginseng.
I’ve only tried this tea when it’s served cold. I will try it as a warm tea. Thanks!