Sujeonggwa


Sujeonggwa is a Korean traditional cinnamon punch. Dark reddish brown in color, it is made from gotgam and ginger and is often garnished with pine nuts. The punch is made by brewing first the cinnamon and ginger at a slow boil. The solids are then removed for clarification and the remaining liquid is boiled again after adding either honey or brown sugar. The dried persimmons are cut into portions and are added to soak and soften after the brew has completely cooled. This is usually done several hours before serving, as extensive soaking of the fruit may thicken the clear liquid to a murky appearance.
Sujeonggwa is served cold and commonly as a dessert, much like sikhye, due to its sweet taste. It is also widely available in canned form.

History

The earliest mention of sujeonggwa dates back to 1849 in the book Dongguksesigi, a book of seasonal customs written by scholar Hong Seok Mo. The sujeonggwa recipe mentioned in the book is a dried persimmon brew with added ginger and pine nuts.
In the book Haedongjukji written in 1921, sujeonggwa is known to have been prepared in the Goryeo era by palace women on New Year's Day. Then they were boiling ginger and adding persimmons to the brew. Its former name was baekjeho, literally meaning "white milky beverage", and was named after the white appearance of sugar-coated persimmons. Nowadays sujeonggwa is a popular traditional beverage drank year-round.
The recipe of sujeonggwa has changed by time, as seen in records. The recipe of sujeonggwa is first mentioned in Sujaguigwe. Ginger was not used in Gunhakoedeung, and cinnamon was first used in The Recipes of Joseon. Pear was used in The New Making of Joseon Food and liquorice, mandarin peels, whole black pepper was also sometimes added. Honey was originally used for sweetening but it was replaced with sugar after The Recipes of Joseon.

Variants

Geonsisujeonggwa (cinnamon punch with dried persimmon)

Geonsisujeonggwa is an original kind of sujeonggwa. It uses ginger and cinnamon as its main ingredients, and usually adds honey or sugar to taste sweet. Garnish with pine nut or gotgam on last.

Galyeonsujeonggwa (lotus cinnamon punch)

Galyeonsujeonggwa uses schisandra as its main ingredients, and adds honey or sugar to keep it sweet and the inside flower petal of lotus in the water. The leaves must be boiled and coated by starch powder.

Jabgwasujeonggwa (cinnamon punch with miscellaneous fruits)

Jabgwasujeonggwa adds chopped citron or pear in the sweet water. It is very similar to Hwachae.

Cinnamon punch with pear

This variant uses pear instead of dried persimmon. In the past, people ate boiled pears because most high quality pears are so stiff to eat. In order to make it easier to eat pears, they made them into a kind of cinnamon punch.

Cinnamon punch with pumpkin

This variant adds pumpkin to the original. It is usually enjoyed in Gangwon-do.

Recipe

Ingredients

Ginger, whole cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar, dried persimmon, walnut, pine nut

Process

  1. Put some gingers and pour water in a big pot. Heat it up about 10 minutes on high heat. When it boils, lower to medium heat and boil for an hour. Filter the liquid with cotton cloths.
  2. Put some whole cinnamons and pour some water in a pot. Heat it up about 10 minutes on high heat. When it boils, lower to medium heat and boil for an hour. Filter it with cotton cloths.
  3. Pour ginger water and cinnamon water in a pot and add brown sugar and white sugar. Boil it on high heat for 11 minutes. As it boils, lower the heat level to medium and boil for 10 minutes. Cool the liquid after boiling.
  4. Garnish with dried persimmon ssam and pine nuts before serving.
TimeProcessHeat Control
Preparing
Ingredients		Prepare ginger, cinnamon, dried persimmons, walnuts, pine nuts
0 minBoil ginger in waterHigh 10 min,
Medium 60 min
70 minBoil cinnamon in waterHigh 10 min,
Medium 60 min
140 minBoil SujeonggwaHigh 11 min, Medium 10 min
160 min
Garnish with dried persimmon ssam and pine nuts

Tip

Ginger and cinnamon, the main ingredients of Korean cinnamon punch, are spicy but sweet; they make the drinker feel warm, protects the intestines; and aids digestion if taken after a meal. Gotgam is rich in iron and vitamin C; it prevents colds and anemia. Some people put jat, which is rich in unsaturated fat such as oleic acid, linoleic acid; it is good for the skin and it is effective for declining cholesterol and preventing hypertension. Additionally, it is rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium; it stabilizes the nerves and prevents various heart disease. Also, they are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene.

Cinnamons

The genus Cinnamomum comprises about 300 species, of which four species are used to obtain the spice 'cinnamon'. 'Ceylon/True' cinnamon and Chinese Cassia cinnamon are the most widely available varieties. Studies have demonstrated many beneficial health effects of cinnamon, such as anti-inflammatory properties, anti-microbial activity, blood glucose control, reducing cardiovascular disease, boosting cognitive function and reducing risk of colonic cancer. Also, there is a study about cinnamon can be a pharmaceutical agent in diabetes.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for medicinal purposes since antiquity. In particular, it has been an important plant for the traditional Chinese and Korean pharmacopoeia. One of its indications has always been the treatment of nausea and vomiting. The aromatic, spasmolytic carminative and absorbent properties of ginger suggest that it has direct effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Ginger may be effective for nausea and vomiting. Animal experiments suggest that ginger has antiemetic activity when nausea is induced by cisplatin or cyclophosphamide. Studies in healthy human volunteers suggest that ginger reduces experimentally induced nausea.