Omija-cha

Omija-cha (Korean Five-Flavor Berry Tea)

Omija-cha is a traditional Korean herbal infusion made from the dried berries of the magnolia vine (Schisandra chinensis). The name means 'five-flavor berry' because the berries are said to hit all five tastes at once — sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent.

Prep

5 min

Cook

15 min

Total

20 min

Serves

4 cups (about 1 litre)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •40 g (1.4 oz / ⅓ cup) dried omija berries (Schisandra chinensis), sold at Korean markets; do not substitute
• •1.2 L (5 cups) cold water, filtered if possible
• •30 g (¼ cup) rock sugar (or honey to taste), traditional; adjust to taste — the tea is naturally tart

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the dried omija berries briefly under cool running water to remove any dust, then drain.
2. 2 Combine the rinsed berries and 1.2 L cold water in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring slowly to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, pressing the berries lightly with the back of a wooden spoon partway through to help them release their juice and color.
3. 3 Stir in the rock sugar and continue to simmer 2–3 minutes until fully dissolved. Taste and add more sugar, or a spoonful of honey off the heat, if you prefer it sweeter.
4. 4 Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve into a teapot or heatproof pitcher, pressing the berries to extract every drop of flavored liquid; discard the spent berries.
5. 5 Serve hot in small cups in winter, or pour over ice for the classic cold summer version. The tea keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 5 days; leftover berries can be re-steeped once more for a weaker second batch.