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Showing posts from September, 2026

Korean Goji Berry Tea (Gugija-cha): Benefits, Recipe, and My Honest Story

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  🍵 Why I Made Goji Tea in a 5-Liter Pot When I lived in Korea, my eyes were not good. My eldest son's eyes were not good either. I heard goji berry tea is good for the eyes. So I decided to try it. I did not make a small cup. I made a big 5-liter pot. I served it cold in summer. And the taste? Honestly, it was sour. I did not like it. My son did not like it either. I do not remember my mother or grandmother making this tea. This was my own try. I made it because people said it was good for the body. Now I live in Adelaide. I want to share what I know about this tea and how I would make it better today. 🌿 What Is Gugija-cha? Gugija-cha (구기자차) is a traditional Korean tea. It is made from dried goji berries. In Korean, goji berries are called gugija (구기자). The berries are small and red. You can find them in Korean cooking too. People add them to soups, herbal chicken dishes, and traditional drinks. In Korea, they are known as a traditional herbal ingredient. Many peop...

Lemon-cheong (레몬청): The Korean Lemon Syrup I Never Knew I Needed

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  I heard that lemon-cheong became popular in Korea long after yuja-cha, almost like its cheaper, easier cousin. My mother never made it when I was young — yuja was always the fruit we preserved, not lemon. But I remember, maybe ten or fifteen years ago, seeing jars of golden lemon syrup start appearing on Korean cooking shows, and everyone talking about how simple it was. I don't remember exactly when I first tried it myself, but I do remember thinking: why didn't we do this sooner? What Is Lemon-cheong? Lemon-cheong (레몬청) is thinly sliced lemon preserved in sugar, left to sit until the fruit releases its juice and turns into a thick, fragrant syrup. "Cheong" (청) simply means a sweetened preserve — the same word used for yuja-cheong, maesil-cheong, and other fruit syrups that are a quiet backbone of Korean home kitchens. Unlike yuja-cha, which uses a specific Korean citron, lemon-cheong can be made with any lemon, which I think is part of why it caught on so wide...

Misugaru: The Korean Summer Drink That Takes Me Back to Childhood

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When I think of summer in Korea, one drink that immediately comes to mind is misugaru. For me, it is much more than just a traditional Korean grain drink—it brings back fond memories of my family and childhood. During the hot Korean summers, my family would make a big glass of cold misugaru with plenty of ice. We would all sit together and drink it slowly, enjoying its cool, nutty taste. Nothing fancy, but those simple summer moments have stayed with me ever since. What Is Misugaru? Misugaru (미숫가루) is a traditional Korean roasted grain powder made by roasting, drying, and finely grinding various grains and beans. Depending on the recipe, it often contains a blend of nourishing ingredients such as: Barley Brown rice & glutinous rice Millet & sorghum Soybeans & black beans Corn Because the grains are roasted before grinding, misugaru offers a warm, nutty, and toasted flavor. Today, you can easily buy prepared misugaru powder in Korean supermarkets. Still, in the past...