Vivid, candy, and a little bit tangy, this lemon cheong is made with thinly sliced lemon, a contact of ginger, and a mixture of honey and sugar. It’s great as a heat tea in winter, a glowing lemonade in summer season, and even as a dressing base.
What’s Lemon Cheong
Cheong (청) is a standard Korean fruit protect made by layering fruit with sugar or honey. Because it rests, the fruit naturally releases its juices, turning right into a candy, tangy syrup that can be utilized in teas, drinks and even desserts.
Many Korean houses maintain a jar or two within the fridge. Probably the most typically yuja cheong (citron protect), which I’ve shared earlier than. It’s a type of little comforts that warms you in winter when stirred into sizzling tea, and feels vivid and refreshing in summer season when blended with glowing water.
This lemon cheong is made with thinly sliced lemon, a contact of ginger, and a mixture of honey and sugar. It’s soothing as a tea, zesty as a lemonade, and even beautiful as a base for dressings or desserts. Once I examined it with solely honey at a 1:1 ratio, I discovered the honey taste a little bit too robust, virtually overpowering the contemporary lemon style. A mixture of sugar and honey offers a brighter, cleaner taste that lets the lemon shine by way of fantastically.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soothing and comforting as a sizzling tea in winter
- Vivid, zesty, and refreshing with glowing water in summer season
- Versatile sufficient for teas, lemonades, desserts, and even mild dressings
- Easy to make and retains fantastically within the fridge
Substances
- 640 g (22.6 oz, about 5 to six) lemons
- 60 g (2.1 oz) contemporary ginger
- 350 g (12.3 oz) honey
- 350 g (12.3 oz) white sugar
How one can Make Lemon Cheong
1. Put together and slice the lemons
Scrub the lemons totally in sizzling water with a little bit vinegar and baking soda to take away any wax or residue. Rinse nicely and pat them utterly dry with kitchen paper. Then slice them thinly and take away all of the seeds, as they’ll make the syrup style bitter.
2. Put together the ginger
Peel the ginger and both finely grate it or mix it till finely minced (slice it thinly first if utilizing a blender). Wrap the grated or blended ginger in clear muslin or cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to extract the juice.
3. Mix the whole lot
In a big mixing bowl, mix the lemon slices and ginger juice. Add the sugar and honey, then combine gently till all of the lemon slices are evenly coated and the sugar begins to dissolve.
4. Pack
Utilizing clear tongs, pack the combination neatly right into a sterilized glass jar. Seal the lid and let it sit at room temperature for twenty-four hours to assist the sugar dissolve and the flavors meld.
5. Retailer and serve
After 24 hours at room temperature, give the jar a mild stir or shake to assist the sugar dissolve. Then switch it to the fridge. Shake it gently once in a while whereas it matures to maintain the combination evenly mixed. The lemon syrup can be prepared to make use of after 3 days. Retailer it within the fridge and revel in inside 3 months.
How one can Get pleasure from Lemon Ginger Syrup
Heat Lemon Tea:
Stir 2 to three tablespoons of the lemon syrup right into a cup of sizzling water. It makes a comforting tea that’s frivolously candy, tangy, and warming with a delicate ginger perfume. It’s good for cold mornings or if you want one thing light to sip on, particularly in case you’re feeling a bit beneath the climate.
Lemonade or Glowing Ade:
Combine 2 to three tablespoons with a cup of glowing water and a few ice (non-obligatory) for a refreshing, home made lemonade. It’s a lightweight and zesty drink that’s good for decent summer season days.
Cooking and Baking:
This syrup provides a beautiful, vivid sweetness to marinades, dressings, and sauces. Strive drizzling a little bit over salad or whisking it right into a French dressing for a citrusy twist.
Cook dinner’s Notes
Ratio
The traditional Korean marmalade makes use of a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sweetener. Most individuals make it with white sugar, which helps draw out the lemon juice and retains the colour vivid and clear. You can too make it with honey provided that you favor a extra pure choice, although I discover the honey taste will be fairly dominant and barely overpower the citrus. My favourite steadiness is a half and half mixture of sugar and honey – it offers a extra rounded sweetness and delicate aroma with out overshadowing the lemon.
Ginger taste
You don’t want so as to add ginger if it’s not your factor. Conventional lemon syrup is made merely with lemon and sugar. However in case you get pleasure from a touch of heat and depth, a small quantity of ginger makes a beautiful addition. When it’s blended and solely the juice is used, the flavour stays light and delicate. Because the syrup matures, the ginger mellows and blends fantastically with the lemon. After a couple of weeks, you’ll hardly discover it’s there, only a gentle roundness within the taste.
I didn’t add any water when mixing the ginger to maintain the juice pure and concentrated in taste. Including water could make mixing simpler, nevertheless it barely dilutes the juice and softens the ginger’s pure warmth and aroma. In case your blender struggles, add simply 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to assist it course of easily.
Storage
Hold the lemon ginger syrup refrigerated after the primary 24 hours at room temperature. It’s going to proceed to develop a deeper taste over the subsequent few days. All the time use a clear, dry spoon when scooping to forestall contamination. For the perfect style and freshness, get pleasure from inside 2 to three months.
Different Korean Tea Recipes You Would possibly Like
Yuja Tea (Yuja-cha, 유자차) – Constituted of Korean citron protect (yuja cheong), this tea is vivid, floral, and deeply soothing. Typically in comparison with Japanese yuzu tea, it’s a traditional winter favourite that warms you from the within out.
Maesil Tea (Korean Plum Tea, 매실차) – Candy, tangy, and frivolously aromatic, this tea is constructed from inexperienced plum syrup (maesil cheong). It’s splendidly refreshing served chilly in summer season, however you too can get pleasure from it sizzling for a vivid, gently warming drink on cooler days.
Korean Ginseng Tea (Insam-cha, 인삼차) – Earthy and gently bitter with a touch of pure sweetness, this conventional Korean ginseng tea is understood for its invigorating and restorative qualities. It’s typically loved to spice up vitality and heat the physique, particularly throughout cooler months or if you want a little bit choose me up.
-
Put together and slice the lemons. Scrub the lemons totally in sizzling water with a little bit vinegar and baking soda to take away any wax or residue. Rinse nicely and pat them utterly dry with kitchen paper. Then slice them thinly and take away all of the seeds, as they’ll make the syrup style bitter.
-
Put together the ginger. Peel the ginger and both finely grate it or mix it till finely minced (slice it thinly first if utilizing a blender). Wrap the grated or blended ginger in clear muslin or cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to extract the juice.
-
Mix the whole lot. In a big mixing bowl, mix the lemon slices and ginger juice. Add the sugar and honey, then combine gently till all of the lemon slices are evenly coated and the sugar begins to dissolve.
-
Pack. Utilizing clear tongs, pack the combination neatly right into a sterilized glass jar. Seal the lid and let it sit at room temperature for twenty-four hours to assist the sugar dissolve and the flavors meld.
-
Retailer and serve. After 24 hours at room temperature, give the jar a mild stir or shake to assist the sugar dissolve. Then switch it to the fridge. Shake it gently once in a while whereas it matures to maintain the combination evenly mixed. The lemon syrup can be prepared to make use of after 3 days. Retailer it within the fridge and revel in inside 3 months.
Serving Strategies
Heat Lemon Tea – Stir 2 to three tablespoons of lemon syrup right into a cup of sizzling water. It makes a frivolously candy, tangy, and warming tea with a mild ginger observe — good for cold mornings or if you want one thing soothing to sip.
Lemonade or Glowing Ade – Combine 2 to three tablespoons of syrup with a cup of glowing water and a few ice for a refreshing, home made lemonade. Vivid, zesty, and ideal for decent days.
Cooking & Baking – Add a spoonful to marinades, dressings, or sauces for a contact of citrusy sweetness. It’s beautiful drizzled over salad or whisked right into a French dressing.
Energy: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 0.3g | Fats: 0.1g | Saturated Fats: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fats: 0.005g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg
The diet data proven is an estimate offered by an internet diet calculator. It shouldn’t be thought of an alternative choice to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.
