China · Taiwanese
Winter Melon Tea
A traditional cooling drink with a gentle sweetness and the faint grassy scent of winter melon, tasted at its best when well chilled. Most of the work is a slow simmer, so it suits an afternoon when you can leave the pot on the stove.
Winter melon tea is an old southern Chinese cooler, traditionally brought out through the hottest days of summer because the melon is thought to move heat out of the body. The recipe rewards patience more than skill: the fruit gives up its liquid over a long, low simmer, and the finished syrup keeps for a week in the fridge. Dilute it with water or sparkling drinks to taste.
Ingredients
- winter melon1000 g
- rock sugar300 g
Directions
- 1
Prepare the winter melon: peel it, remove the seeds and cut it into pieces no larger than four centimetres.
- 2
Add the rock sugar to the melon, stir to combine, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- 3
Cook the melon: by now it has released a lot of water. Pour everything into a pot, bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer gently for one to two hours, stirring often so it does not catch on the base.
- 4
Strain the liquid through a sieve, discarding the melon pieces and keeping only the syrup.
- 5
Cool: once the liquid has cooled, pour it into a clean container and refrigerate.
- 6
Serve: the finished syrup is a concentrate, so add water or another drink to your own liking. It is good hot or cold.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.