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Arrowroot tea
Type	Herbal tea
Other names	Chikcha galbun-cha galgeun-cha kuzu-yu gegen-cha
Origin	East Asia
Quick description	Tea made from East Asian arrowroot
Temperature	100 °C (212 °F)

Arrowroot tea, also called kudzu tea, is a traditional East Asian tea made from East Asian arrowroot, a type of kudzu.

Names

Arrowroot tea is called gegen-cha (葛根茶) in Chinese, kuzuyu (葛湯; くずゆ) in Japanese, and chikcha (칡차), galgeun-cha (갈근차; 葛根茶), and galbun-cha (갈분차; 葛粉茶) in Korean.

Preparation

Japan

Kuzuyu (葛湯) is a sweet Japanese beverage that is made by adding kudzu flour to hot water. It has a thick, honey-like texture, and a pale, translucent appearance. It is served in a mug or tea bowl. During the winter, Kuzuyu is traditionally served for dessert as a hot drink.

In Japanese, Kuzu (葛) is the word for "kudzu". It is also translated as "arrowroot", although kudzu and arrowroot are distinct plants. Yu (湯) means "hot water". In English, the name of the drink is sometimes translated as kudzu starch gruel or arrowroot tea.

In order to make Kuzuyu, Kudzu flour is added to hot water and stirred until thick. Kudzu flour, or Kuzuko (葛粉), is a powder that is made from the dried root of the kudzu plant. Kudzu flour can also be used in East Asian sauces and soups, as it is a powerful thickening agent. When added to hot water, it quickly alters the water's texture. Though lacking fragrance and taste in its powder form, the arrowroot takes on a unique sweet flavor when dissolved in the hot water.

Korea

Chikcha (칡차; "arrowroot tea") can be made with either sliced East Asian arrowroot or the starch powder made from the root. Chik (칡) is the native Korean name of the plant, while cha (차; 茶) means "tea". Chikcha can also refer to the tea made from arrowroot flower. Chikcha made from powdered arrowroot is also called galbun-cha (갈분차; 葛粉茶). Galbun-cha is a Sino-Korean name for the drink, formed from gal (갈, 葛: the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word for kudzu) and bun (분, 粉: the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word for "flour, powder"). Conversely, chikcha made by boiling the dried roots is called galgeun-cha (갈근차; 葛根茶), with geun (근; 根) meaning "root".

The roots are harvested from late autumn to early spring. They are then washed, peeled, and sun-dried. To make tea, 15–20 g (0.53–0.71 oz) of fresh roots are simmered in 600 ml (21 imp fl oz; 20 US fl oz) of water over low heat, until the water is reduced by two thirds. Jujubes can also be boiled with the shredded roots if desired. The tea can be served hot or cold. While honey may be added to taste, sugar is not recommended.

An alternative tea can be made by ground arrowroot. First, the roots are torn into thin shreds. They are then dried for twenty days in shade, followed by ten days in a hot ondol room, after which they are ground to a starch powder. Tea is then made by mixing the starch powder with hot water. The gruel-like tea that results can also be combined with sugar, milk, green tea, or cocoa. Similar tea can also be made using starch powder from the scaly bulbs of Asian fawnlily.

Chikcha made from the arrowroot flowers can also be prepared by infusing two dried flowers, preferably picked in August, in 600 ml (21 imp fl oz; 20 US fl oz) of hot water.

See also

• Cinnamon tea
• Kelp tea
• Ginger tea
• Ginseng tea
• Traditional Korean tea
• Traditional Chinese tea
• Traditional Japanese tea

References

1. ^ Chun, Hui-jung (2004). Yoon, Ho-mi (ed.). Korean Food Guide 800. Seoul: The Korea Foundation. p. 208. ISBN 89-89782-10-4. Retrieved 25 August 2017 – via issuu.
2. "Chikcha" 칡차. Korean-English Learners' Dictionary. National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
3. English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 596. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Retrieved 25 August 2017 – via Korea Forest Service.
4. The Essential Tea Guide, Teressa Hansch, 2013. 7ISBN 978-1482521115
5. "Animelab.com: Japanese -> English Dictionary". Archived from the original on 2008-05-07. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
6. Japanese Kanji - 湯 hot water トウ ゆ
7. ^ "KanjiDB: 湯 - hot water". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
8. "Animelab.com: Japanese -> English Dictionary". Archived from the original on 2008-05-07. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
9. Kudzu
10. "Kudzu Root and Powder Profile". Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
11. ^ National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (2010). 칡차. Jeontong Hyangto Eumsik Yongeo Sajeon 전통향토음식용어사전 (in Korean). Paju, Gyeonggi Province: Gyomoon Publishers. ISBN 9788936310608. Retrieved 25 August 2017 – via Naver.
12. ^ 정, 동효; 윤, 백현; 이, 영희, eds. (2012). 칡차의 건강기능 효과. Cha Saenghwal Munhwa Daejeon 차생활문화대전 (in Korean). Seoul: Hongikjae. ISBN 9788971433515. Retrieved 25 August 2017 – via Naver.
13. ^ "Galbun-cha" 갈분차. Doopedia (in Korean). Doosan Corporation. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
14. "Galgeun-cha" 갈근차. Doopedia (in Korean). Doosan Corporation. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

• Herbal teas
• Japanese drinks
• Korean tea
• Chinese tea