Foodie Goodie | Yujacha (Honey Citron Tea).

So here I am feeling under the weather again. I spent most of the day under the sheets, sniffling, coughing, and catching up on two of my favorite currently-airing Korean dramas - Kill Me, Heal Me and Healer. (I'm actually catching up on the latter, after being cajoled by a fellow Kdrama addict that this drama is pretty good despite being a Park Min Young starrer. I'm glad I took her word for it.) 

Normally, I would not blog on a weekend especially when I'm sick. But I just had to blog about this Honey Citron Tea, which I'm sipping as I write. One of my readers asked me about it (she probably saw my post on Instagram the other day) so here it is.

Yujacha, as Koreans would call it, is made by preserving slices of yuja fruit (that's citron in English) in honey and sugar. The end result is a syrupy, marmalade-like substance that is packaged in a jar like jelly. Add a couple of teaspoons of yujacha to a cup of boiling water to make a soothing herbal tea that tastes like dessert. It also comes in powdered form, packed in single-serve sachets. Simply dissolve in water (you can enjoy it hot or cold) and that's it. :)

Yujacha in sachets.

A traditional tea in the Land of the Morning Calm, Yujacha has been used for hundred years in Korea, and is a well-known stress-reliever and a cure for colds. They say it's also a cure for hangovers.

Can't find Yujacha in the supermarket? You can make your own! :)

Yujacha (Honey Citron Tea)

Ingredients:
4 citrons (or any other citrus fruit)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey

Procedure:
1. Wash the fruit well in cold water. 
2. Peel then remove and discard any white remaining on the fruit.
3.  Cut peel into thin strips.
4.  Segment the fruit.
5.  Place fruit and peel in a bowl in layers, covering each layer generously with sugar.
6.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for two to four hours. (Sugar should be dissolved or be transparent).
7.  Place in a jar in layers, drizzling honey over each layer, and close tightly. Refrigerate for one week.

Usage:
Add 1 tablespoon of the syrup-like mix to one cup of boiling water.