Sujeonggwa (Korean Cinnamon Punch)

Before you start

Sujeonggwa is a cold, spiced drink served after meals and at holidays in Korea, especially around Lunar New Year and Chuseok. It is made from two separate infusions, one of cinnamon and one of fresh ginger, combined and sweetened with brown sugar or honey. Dried persimmons, called gotgam, soak in the chilled punch until they soften and turn plump, and a few pine nuts float on top. The flavor is warm and peppery but served ice cold, which makes it refreshing rather than heavy.

Simmering the cinnamon and ginger in separate pots is the step most often skipped, and it does matter. Cinnamon extracts best with a long, gentle simmer, while ginger turns harsh and cloudy if boiled hard with it. Combining two clear infusions keeps the punch a clean, dark red-brown. Give the persimmons time: they need several hours in the cold punch to soften.

Ingredients

• 30 g (about 6 sticks) cinnamon sticks — cassia is the usual choice in Korea
• 60 g (a 10 cm piece) fresh ginger — peeled and thinly sliced
• 2.5 liters (10½ cups) water — divided into two pots
• 120 to 150 g (⅔ to ¾ cup) brown sugar — to taste
• 4 to 6 dried persimmons (gotgam) — stems removed
• 1 tbsp pine nuts — for serving

Method

1. Rinse the cinnamon sticks briefly to remove dust. Put them in one saucepan with 1.25 liters of water.
2. Put the sliced ginger in the second saucepan with the remaining 1.25 liters of water.
3. Bring both pots to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes. The cinnamon liquid should turn deep red-brown and the ginger liquid pale gold.
4. Strain both infusions into the large jug or pot and discard the solids. You should have about 2 liters; top up with water if it has reduced further.
5. While still hot, stir in 120 g of brown sugar until dissolved. Taste: it should be clearly sweet, since chilling dulls sweetness. Add the remaining sugar if needed.
6. Let the punch cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then add the dried persimmons. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
7. Serve very cold in small bowls or glasses. Add one softened persimmon to each and float a few pine nuts on top.

Tips for success

• Choose persimmons that are soft and pliable with a light white sugar bloom. Very hard ones take much longer to soften.
• If the persimmons are large, cut them in half or flatten them gently so they soak more evenly.
• Some cooks stuff each persimmon with a walnut half before soaking. It makes a nice bite and looks good in the bowl.

Substitutions

Cassia cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon gives a softer, more floral punch. Use about 40 g, since it is less intense.

Brown sugar

Honey adds a floral sweetness; stir it in after the punch cools slightly. White sugar keeps the color lighter and the flavor sharper.

Dried persimmons

Dried apricots or pitted dates can soak in the punch instead. They soften faster and taste sweeter, but lack the persimmon’s honeyed texture.

Variations

Sujeonggwa slush

Freeze part of the punch in a shallow tray, scrape it with a fork every 30 minutes until icy, and spoon it over the soaked persimmons.

Jujube sujeonggwa

Add 4 dried red jujubes to the cinnamon pot for a fruitier, deeper sweetness.

Troubleshooting

The punch is cloudy

The ginger was boiled hard or simmered with the cinnamon. Keep the pots separate and at a gentle simmer, and strain through a fine sieve.

It tastes too spicy and sharp

Too much ginger for the batch. Dilute with a little cold water and a spoonful of sugar, or use 40 g of ginger next time.

The persimmons are still hard

They need more time. Leave them in the punch another 12 hours, or slice them so the liquid can reach the center.

Storage

Keep sujeonggwa covered in the refrigerator and use within 5 days. The persimmons will keep softening and may start to break apart after the third day. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Pine nuts are tree nuts; leave them off for anyone with a nut allergy.