Homemade Jujube and Pear Ginger Syrup
Make Your Own Ginger Syrup with Jujube and Pear: A Delicious Way to Stay Warm and Healthy
As the autumn winds turn colder, it’s the perfect time to ward off the chill and potential colds with a warm cup of ginger tea. This recipe guides you through making a delicious homemade ginger syrup infused with the natural sweetness of jujube and pear. Unlike syrups meant for cooking, this one is perfect for a soothing beverage. We’ll be using a juicing method and slow simmering to extract the best flavors without overcooking, ensuring a smooth and potent syrup. The combination of zesty ginger, sweet dates, and crisp pear creates a wonderfully balanced flavor that’s both comforting and invigorating. Get ready to embrace the season with this delightful homemade brew!
Ingredients
- 1kg fresh ginger
- 1 large pear
- 200g dried jujubes (dates)
- 7.5 cups brown sugar (approx. 1.3kg)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by thoroughly washing the ginger under running water to remove any soil. Break the ginger roots into smaller pieces by hand. Place the ginger in an onion bag and rub them together; this will help loosen and remove most of the skin. If you don’t have an onion bag, you can achieve a similar result by rubbing the ginger in a colander.
Step 2
Use a small knife to gently scrape off any remaining stubborn bits of skin. Once cleaned, place the ginger in a colander to drain any excess water.
Step 3
Roughly chop the peeled ginger and juice it using a juicer (like a Hurom) or a similar appliance. Let the freshly extracted ginger juice sit for about an hour. This allows the starch to settle at the bottom. It’s best to avoid adding this settled starch to your syrup, as it can impart a bitter or astringent taste. You can freeze the leftover ginger pulp in a ziplock bag to use in cooking later, or pour some cooking wine or soju over it to make ginger-infused cooking wine.
Step 4
Here’s an easy way to separate the seeds and skin from the jujubes for your syrup. First, soak the dried jujubes in water with a little baking soda for about 30 minutes. After soaking, rinse them thoroughly under running water and let them drain.
Step 5
Place the drained jujubes in an electric rice cooker and add enough water to cover them. Set the rice cooker to the ‘white rice’ setting. This usually takes about 33 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, open the lid to find that the jujubes are soft and well-cooked.
Step 6
Transfer the cooked jujubes to a sieve. Use a potato masher, the back of a spoon, or your hands (wearing gloves) to mash the jujubes. This process will easily separate the flesh from the skins and seeds. Mashing them while they are still hot from the rice cooker is most effective. (I used a spoon for this.)
Step 7
Peel the large pear and extract its juice using your juicer. Just like the ginger juice, ensure the pear juice is freshly prepared.
Step 8
Now, let’s gather the prepared ingredients for the syrup: 5 cups of the clear ginger juice (from the top layer after settling), 2.5 cups of pear juice, and the mashed jujube pulp (jujube paste).
Step 9
In a large pot, combine the 2.5 cups of pear juice, the mashed jujube pulp, and the 5 cups of clear ginger juice. Stir them together.
Step 10
Add 7.5 cups of brown sugar to the mixture. Begin by bringing it to a boil over high heat.
Step 11
As the mixture starts to boil vigorously, a foamy layer will form on top. Skim off this foam meticulously. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the syrup thickens to a jam-like consistency, characterized by slow-bubbling ‘plop’ sounds. Once it reaches this stage, lower the heat to the minimum and let it gently simmer and reduce until it achieves the desired thick consistency.
Step 12
While the ginger syrup is simmering, sterilize your glass jars by boiling them in hot water. Ensure they are completely dry before filling.
Step 13
Carefully pour the hot, finished ginger syrup into the sterilized jars. This recipe typically yields about 2 jars, with a little extra. (I also gifted some candied ginger to my thoughtful sister!)
Step 14
Time to enjoy! Add about 2 tablespoons of the ginger syrup to a mug, pour in hot water, and stir well for a soothing ginger tea. It’s wonderfully smooth and warming. (The candied ginger I made alongside turned out delicious too! I’ll share that recipe soon.)
Step 15
A warm cup of ginger tea made with this syrup is incredibly comforting after a long day. Adding 2 tablespoons of syrup to hot water, garnished with a few pine nuts and jujube slices, feels like a true remedy for fatigue. Ginger has a long history in traditional medicine for treating colds, fever, headaches, nausea, coughs, and phlegm. It’s also known to help with stomach aches and diarrhea caused by food poisoning. Furthermore, ginger is believed to activate blood circulation, normalize body temperature, help expel cholesterol, and potentially aid in preventing adult diseases like atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. (Source: Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, NAVER)
