Hwachae: The Korean Drink… Or Snack… Or Cereal Substitute… Or
Whatever it is, it’s delicious.
This wet and fruity bowl of something has been picking up steam on short-form content sites like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts. If you’re like me, your interest might’ve been sparked by someone like Jordan The Stallion. However you heard about it, if you’re reading this article, you probably want to know more about it, so…
What is Traditional Hwachae?
Hwachae is a traditional Korean fruit punch that is usually served as a dessert or a snack. It is a refreshing and delicious drink that can be enjoyed in the warm weather. Hwachae has a long history in Korea, dating back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 668 AD). The name hwachae means “flower dish” in Korean, as it was originally made with edible flower petals soaked in honeyed water.
There are many variations of hwachae, depending on the region and season. Some of the common ingredients used in hwachae are watermelon, melon, pear, peach, strawberry, persimmon, pineapple, and citrus fruits. These fruits are cut into small pieces or scooped into balls and mixed with sweetened water or fruit juice. Sometimes, canned fruit cocktail is also added for convenience and variety. In modern times, carbonated drinks such as lemon-lime soda or ginger ale are also popular additions to hwachae, giving it a bubbly and fizzy texture.
Another ingredient that is often used in hwachae is milk. Milk hwachae is made by adding flavored milk, such as strawberry or banana, to the fruit mixture. This creates a creamy and smooth drink that resembles milkis, a popular Korean soft drink. Milk hwachae is especially popular among children and young people.
How to Make the Viral Watermelon Hwachae With Milk
The variation on the dish that’s been going around is almost always a watermelon-based hwachae with milk as an addition. Here’s how I was taught to make it according to Jordan’s video:
Ingredients
Before you make this recipe, you’ll need:
- Bowl
- Ice cubes
- Strawberry milk
- Sprite
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Banana
- Dragon fruit (this is optional and can be substituted)
Steps
Here’s the process for putting it all together:
- If your watermelon isn’t pre-diced, dice it into small cubes. Lay in the cubed watermelon first at the bottom of the bowl
- Slice several strawberries and a banana. Lay these sliced fruits as the next layer in the bowl.
- Dice the dragon fruit and add that on top.
- Pour several ice cubes into the bowl to rapidly chill the mixture.
- Pour in the strawberry milk.
- Pour in the Sprite.
- Gently mix and enjoy
What do you think?
What do you think about hwachae? Have you tried it? Do you see it more as a drink, or a snack? Does it scratch your cereal itch or do you see it as something else entirely?
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