🇰🇵 North Korean Cuisine

식혜

Sweet Rice Punch

Prep Time 6 hours
Servings 8
Difficulty Medium
Calories 120 kcal

A traditional Korean sweet beverage made from malted barley and cooked rice, served ice-cold with floating rice grains and pine nuts, offering a gentle sweetness that cleanses the palate.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Soak malt barley powder in warm water for 1 hour. Strain through cheesecloth, squeezing to extract all the milky liquid. Discard solids.
  2. 2 Place cooked rice in a large pot or rice cooker. Pour the malt liquid over the rice.
  3. 3 Keep the mixture warm (around 60-65°C) for 4-5 hours. The rice grains will begin to float when the fermentation is working.
  4. 4 Once rice grains float, add sugar and ginger slices. Bring to a brief boil, then remove from heat.
  5. 5 Remove ginger. Let cool, then refrigerate until ice cold.
  6. 6 Serve in bowls or cups with floating rice grains, a few pine nuts, and plenty of ice.

Did You Know?

In Korean tradition, sikhye is considered essential for digestion, and no holiday feast is complete without this sweet rice drink served at the end of the meal.