As the name suggests, winter melon tea uses winter melon as its main ingredient, simmered slowly with sugar or water for a long time, creating a refreshing, refreshing treat on hot days. Winter melon tea can be enjoyed in more than one way. Learn how to create different flavors.

What are the ingredients for winter melon tea?

Winter melon, the main ingredient in winter melon tea, is abundant in summer and autumn. Melons are high in water and have a cooling effect, which can help reduce heat and promote diuresis. Drinking winter melon tea can also help dispel dryness and quench thirst.

To make winter melon tea, the water content of the winter melon is boiled and concentrated with sugar, essentially concentrating the essence of the winter melon’s juice. The unique technique involves candiing the winter melon with a large amount of sugar, releasing the water content, before boiling and reducing the juice.

When making winter melon tea, is white sugar, yellow sugar, brown sugar, or dark brown sugar the best choice?

Many recipes use two or more sugars to enhance flavor. Brown sugar and black sugar, due to their inherently dark color and distinctive flavor, further enhance color and flavor.

Have you heard of adding lime to winter melon tea? Why?

In the past, some shops and individuals who made large quantities of winter melon tea would soak the melon cubes in lime before candiing them. The calcium ions in the lime hardened the melon tissue, preventing it from becoming mushy during prolonged cooking and enhancing the tea’s effectiveness.

Using “food-grade” lime is a legal food additive, used to prevent food from clumping and sticking. While it is used in accordance with FDA regulations and thoroughly rinsed during the subsequent cooking process, there are no issues.

It’s still possible to make winter melon tea without lime; the considerations differ. Nowadays, with the emphasis on minimal additives and more natural processes, its omission is becoming more popular.

How to make winter melon tea?

First, make a winter melon tea brick or dew.

Both winter melon tea bricks and winter melon dew are variations of winter melon tea. Winter melon dew is made by simmering the winter melon syrup until it blends and thickens, while winter melon tea bricks are made by boiling the syrup until it’s relatively dry, letting it cool, and then forming a sugar brick.

To drink, add water to the winter melon dew. For winter melon tea bricks, remove the appropriate amount of sugar cubes, add hot water, and let it dissolve before serving chilled.

Winter melon brick recipe

1. Peel the winter melon and cut it into chunks. Marinate with sugar for at least 1 hour, until the winter melon softens and begins to release water.
2. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to avoid sticking to the pan. This allows the sugar syrup and winter melon juice to blend.
3. Simmer for 3-4 hours until the mixture thickens and the water evaporates.
4. Test the concentration: Drop a small amount of the broth into a small amount of water. If it doesn’t disperse, it’s well-concentrated.
5. Cool the concentrated sugar solution on a plate. Line the plate with baking paper or tin foil to prevent the sugar from sticking. Cut the sugar into pieces before it completely hardens.
6. Just before serving, cut off the sugar cubes and add hot water to dissolve them. Let the winter melon tea cool and chill.

How else can you enjoy winter melon tea? Discover new flavors

Winter melon tea + fresh milk = Winter melon milk

Winter melon tea is a sweet drink that might be a bit too sweet, but you can create new flavors by combining it with different drinks! Try the recent popularity of hand-shaken milk and milk tea. Mix a 50/50 ratio of fresh milk and winter melon tea to create winter melon tea milk! Recommended for milk lovers looking for a change! You can also add homemade tapioca pearls, taro balls, or grass jelly!

Lemon Winter Melon Drink / Pineapple Winter Melon Drink

If you’re not too sweet, try something sour! Lemon juice provides a tart, neutralizing effect. Slice a lemon and drop it into your tea, or squeeze lemon juice into your winter melon tea for an unexpected pairing! Perfect for a post-meal treat. Blend pineapple cubes with a suitable amount of winter melon tea in a blender to create pineapple and winter melon iced tea. You can also use kiwi fruit or other fruits. Using just a small amount of winter melon tea to adjust the sweetness is also a great way to enjoy it!

Winter Melon Tea + Whiskey

For a more adult-friendly experience, melted winter melon cubes into a syrup that can be used with bitter alcoholic beverages. A small amount of syrup softens the flavor, adding the sweetness of the winter melon syrup. Perhaps you’ve found a new way to pair alcohol with your drink!

Winter Melon Tea Jelly

After brewing winter melon tea, simply add gelatin and chill to create winter melon tea jelly. The chewy texture creates a new way to enjoy winter melon tea! For example, this recipe can be transformed into a black tea-style drink by adding a black tea bag.

With a variety of winter melon teas, you can enjoy your favorite flavor. Winter melon isn’t just for cooking; it can also be slowly cooked into a sweet drink. Do you have a winter melon at home and wondering what to do with it? Just make some iced winter melon tea for a refreshing treat! As a reminder, winter melon tea is high in sugar, so be mindful of your intake.