The summer heat is just a convenient excuse to explain why I decided to concoct this drink. The truth is that I bought water chestnuts instead of chestnuts to make the rice dumplings in my previous recipe… So now I know – chestnuts, which are real nuts, grow from branches which belong to the beech and oak genus; water chestnuts, on the other hand, are aquatic vegetables that grow beneath the ground.
No regrets though, because it’s one of the most cooling and refreshing drinks to gulp down after a busy work day.
Ingredients:
- Water: enough to fill 3/4 of a large pot (about 1.5 litres)
- Water chestnuts: 30 pieces, soaked in warm water for 1 hr, scrubbed, heads & bottoms sliced off
- Winter melon: 50g
- Rock sugar: 100g
Method:
- Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add water chestnuts, winter melon & sugar.
- Simmer for 1 hr.
- Remove from heat. Serve warm or chilled.
Tricks:
- Add crushed sugar cane to boil with the water chestnuts for a slightly thicker flavor.
- Crushing the water chestnuts will help to further enhance the flavour of the drink.
- It is your choice whether you’d like to peel off all of the brown skin on the water chestnuts or simply leave them intact.
Serving:
2 jugs (about 1 liter)
