Arrowroot tea facts for kids

Arrowroot tea, also known as kudzu tea, is a special drink from East Asia. It is made from the roots of the East Asian arrowroot plant, which is a type of kudzu. This tea is enjoyed in many countries, especially during colder months.

What is Arrowroot Tea?

Arrowroot tea is a warm, comforting drink. It is made from the root of a plant called East Asian arrowroot. This plant is also known as kudzu. People in countries like China, Japan, and Korea have been drinking it for a very long time.

Different Names for Arrowroot Tea

This tea has different names depending on the country:

• In Chinese, it is called gegen-cha (葛根茶).
• In Japanese, it is known as kuzuyu (葛湯).
• In Korean, it has a few names: chikcha (칡차), galgeun-cha (갈근차), and galbun-cha (갈분차).

Even though the names are different, they all refer to a similar drink made from the arrowroot plant.

How is Arrowroot Tea Made?

The way arrowroot tea is made can be a little different in each country. Let's explore how it's prepared in Japan and Korea.

Making Kuzuyu in Japan

Kuzuyu is a sweet Japanese drink. It is made by mixing kudzu flour with hot water. The drink becomes thick, almost like honey. It looks pale and a bit see-through.

Kuzuyu is usually served in a mug or a tea bowl. It is a popular hot drink, especially in winter. People often enjoy it as a warm dessert.

What is Kudzu Flour?

Kuzu (葛) is the Japanese word for the kudzu plant. Yu (湯) means "hot water." So, Kuzuyu literally means "kudzu hot water."

Kudzu flour, or Kuzuko (葛粉), is a powder. It is made from the dried roots of the kudzu plant. This flour is also used in cooking to make sauces and soups thicker. When you add it to hot water, it quickly changes the water's texture. The powder itself doesn't have much smell or taste. But when it dissolves in hot water, it gets a unique sweet flavor.

Making Chikcha in Korea

In Korea, Chikcha (칡차) means "arrowroot tea." It can be made in a few ways. You can use thin slices of the East Asian arrowroot root. Or, you can use the starch powder made from the root.

Names for Korean Arrowroot Tea

• Chick (칡) is the Korean name for the arrowroot plant.
• Cha (차) means "tea."
• If the tea is made from powdered arrowroot, it's called galbun-cha (갈분차). This name comes from Korean words that mean "kudzu" and "powder."
• If the tea is made by boiling the dried roots, it's called galgeun-cha (갈근차). Here, geun (근) means "root."

Preparing Chikcha from Roots

The roots for the tea are gathered from late autumn to early spring. First, they are washed and peeled. Then, they are left to dry in the sun.

To make the tea, you simmer about 15–20 g (0.53–0.71 oz) of fresh roots. You put them in 600 ml (21 imp fl oz; 20 US fl oz) of water. You cook them over low heat until most of the water has evaporated. You can also add Jujubes (a type of fruit) for extra flavor. This tea can be served hot or cold. Some people like to add honey to make it sweeter, but sugar is not usually recommended.

Preparing Chikcha from Powder

Another way to make Chikcha is using ground arrowroot powder. First, the roots are shredded into thin pieces. They are dried for about twenty days in the shade. Then, they are dried for ten more days in a warm room. After that, they are ground into a fine starch powder.

To make the tea, you mix this starch powder with hot water. The result is a thick, gruel-like tea. You can mix this tea with sugar, milk, green tea, or even cocoa. A similar tea can also be made using starch powder from the bulbs of the Asian fawnlily plant.

Chikcha from Flowers

You can also make Chikcha from arrowroot flowers. To do this, you infuse two dried flowers in 600 ml (21 imp fl oz; 20 US fl oz) of hot water. The flowers are usually picked in August.

See also

In Spanish: Kuzuyu para niños