Ingredients
Malt
- 300 gyeotgireum, coarse barley malt powder
- 3 litreswarm water
Rice
- 300 gshort-grain rice, cooked and cooled
To sweeten
- 200 gsugar, or to taste
- a few slices of ginger, optional
To finish
- pine nuts
- a few jujube slices
Equipment
- a rice cooker with a keep-warm setting, or a large pot and a thermometer
- muslin or a fine sieve
To serve
- ice-cold, after a meal
Directions
- Put the yeotgireum in the warm water and leave it 1 to 2 hours. Work it vigorously rather than just stirring. Strain the liquid through muslin, squeezing the malt dry, and discard the grounds. Now let the strained liquid stand undisturbed for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Pour off the clear liquid above and discard the sediment. Cook the rice slightly firmer than usual and let it cool.
- Use rice with distinct separate grains, because those floating grains are the visual signature of sikhye. Combine the cooled rice with the clear malt liquid. Now hold it at 55 to 60°C for 4 to 6 hours.
- Use a rice cooker on keep-warm, or a pot in a low oven, and check the temperature with a thermometer if you can. Do not let it get hotter than about 65°C, and do not let it drop cold, and check it every hour or two.
- Strain the rest and press the remaining rice to get the liquid out. Now bring the liquid to a boil with the sugar and the ginger if using.
- Skim any foam off as it boils. Boil it 10 to 15 minutes, then cool it completely. Chill it thoroughly, and it should be served genuinely cold. Return the reserved rice grains to the jug before serving.
- Serve it in bowls or glasses with a spoonful of rice grains, a few pine nuts and slices of jujube floating on top. It keeps a week refrigerated and it is often made in large quantity.
Technique
- Yeotgireum, barley malt powder, is sold in Korean shops and is essential.
- Tinned sikhye is widely sold in Korea and is a common bathhouse purchase.
- Sujeonggwa, the cinnamon and persimmon punch, is the other traditional Korean cold drink.
Substitutions
- There is no substitute for barley malt powder, which supplies the enzymes.
- A slow cooker on low, with the temperature checked.
Variations
- With ginger, which is common in winter.
- Made less sweet, which many prefer.
- Andong sikhye, a spicy fermented regional version with radish and chilli.
History
Made by saccharifying cooked rice with barley malt, it appears in Joseon household manuals and is now a fixture of bathhouse fridges.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sikhye?
Sikhye is a drink from South Korea: sweet cloudy rice punch with floating grains, served ice-cold after meals. Made by saccharifying cooked rice with barley malt, it appears in Joseon household manuals and is now a fixture of bathhouse fridges.
How long does Sikhye take to make?
Sikhye takes 30 min plus 8 hr of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 3 litres. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Sikhye?
Yes, within limits. There is no substitute for barley malt powder, which supplies the enzymes. A slow cooker on low, with the temperature checked.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sikhye?
Put the yeotgireum in the warm water and leave it 1 to 2 hours. Work it vigorously rather than just stirring. Strain the liquid through muslin, squeezing the malt dry, and discard the grounds. Now let the strained liquid stand undisturbed for 30 minutes to an hour.
