As summer wanes and autumn begins, it's a good time of year to make some healthy honey tonic. Baesuk is an ancient Korean recipe that uses Asian pears, ginger, peppercorns and honey. It is often used as a home remedy to prevent colds and flu and for relieving coughs and sore throats and aiding digestion. Asian pears are available at many grocery stores at this time of year. If you can not find them, you may substitute apples or pears.
This recipe is traditionally made in two different ways: either eaten as a dessert or the liquid is drunk as a delicious tonic. For the former, the pear is stuffed with ginger and honey and steamed whole. The recipe that follows is for the tonic, for which the pear is sliced and poached and the liquid is served as a drink.
Ingredients:
- 1 Asian pear ( about 1 pound, peeled)
- 4 cups water
- 2 to 3-inch lengths of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Big Island Bees Lehua Honey
- Black peppercorns
Directions:
- Boil the water in a pot with the sliced ginger over medium high heat for 8 minutes.
- While the ginger is boiling, slice the peeled pear into eight wedges and remove the seeds. Push the peppercorns into the wedges on the outer side, 3 to each wedge. ( see photograph), I used a skewer to push the peppercorns deep enough into the pear so they wouldn't fall out while cooking.
- Discard the ginger from the pot of water.( do not remove the water) Add to the pot of water the sliced pears and boil on low heat for 8 minutes.
- Add the honey and simmer* for an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let cool.
- You may serve the liquid warm or cold. You may eat the slices of pear, but they are more for decoration as it is the liquid that retains most of the flavor.
*In order to avoid pasteurization and maintain the raw quality of the honey, you may choose to remove from heat prior to adding the honey, and stir in the honey until dissolved.
