Ingredients
Base
- 60 gwumei, smoked dried sour plums
- 40 gdried hawthorn slices, shanzha
- 20 gdried tangerine peel, chenpi
- 10 gliquorice root, gancao
- 10 gdried osmanthus flowers, guihua
Also
- 2.5 litreswater
- 150 grock sugar, or to taste
Optional
- 5 gdried roselle, for a deeper red
- a pinch of dried mint
To serve
- ice cold, over ice
- with dim sum or in the heat
Directions
- Rinse all the dried ingredients in cold water to remove dust. Now soak them in the cold water for at least an hour.
- Bring the pan slowly to a boil, then reduce it to a low simmer. Simmer, partly covered, for about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. The liquid should darken to a deep reddish brown.
- Add the dried osmanthus flowers only in the last 5 minutes. Osmanthus is delicate and floral and its aroma boils away within minutes. Add the rock sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Taste it and adjust, keeping in mind that it should stay clearly sour. The name means sour plum drink and the sourness is the point, so do not sweeten it into a squash.
- Cool it completely and refrigerate it thoroughly. It must be served genuinely cold, and the whole purpose of the drink is to cool you in summer heat.
- Serve it over ice, in glasses, with a few osmanthus flowers floating if you like. It keeps four or five days refrigerated and the flavour settles and improves after a night.
Technique
- Ready-mixed packets of the dried ingredients are widely sold and are perfectly good.
- Wumei are smoked sour plums and are not interchangeable with any other dried plum.
- It is drunk with rich food as much as for the heat.
Substitutions
- A ready-mixed suanmeitang packet, which is what most households buy.
- Extra hawthorn if osmanthus is unavailable, accepting a plainer drink.
Variations
- Made without liquorice.
- With roselle for a brighter red.
- Made stronger and diluted to taste.
History
A Qing imperial recipe from the Beijing court that spread to street vendors ringing brass bowls in summer.
Frequently asked questions
What is Suanmeitang?
Suanmeitang is a drink from China: chilled smoked-plum and osmanthus infusion, sour-sweet; the classic summer cooler. A Qing imperial recipe from the Beijing court that spread to street vendors ringing brass bowls in summer.
How long does Suanmeitang take to make?
Suanmeitang takes 10 min plus 1 hr soaking of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Suanmeitang?
Yes, within limits. A ready-mixed suanmeitang packet, which is what most households buy. Extra hawthorn if osmanthus is unavailable, accepting a plainer drink.
What is the most important thing to get right in Suanmeitang?
Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. The liquid should darken to a deep reddish brown.
