Omija-cha (오미자차)

Omija-cha is the cold infusion of the dried berries of the magnolia vine Schisandra chinensis, called omija, the five-flavour berry. The name records the claim that the fruit carries all five tastes at once. The berry is gathered in the mountain districts and has been drunk in Korea as a cooled summer beverage, often sweetened with honey, in the household and court tradition of hwachae and eumcheong, the cooling drinks. It belongs to the Korean tradition of the fruit and grain tea, taken at home and offered to guests, and it is carried by the ordinary household cook rather than by any single house.

The drink is made from whole dried omija, Schisandra chinensis, steeped in cold water until the liquid turns a clear translucent red. The berries are rinsed, covered with cold water and left to stand for a night, then strained and sweetened with honey or sugar to taste. Hot water is avoided because it draws out bitterness from the seeds and dulls the colour. Served chilled, the tea is tart first, then sweet, with a lingering salt, bitterness and pungency beneath. Pine nuts are floated on the surface, and slices of Asian pear are sometimes added, as in the Korean fruit punch of hwachae.

Omija-cha is drunk cold on its own, between meals, or after a meal of grilled meat or rich dishes, where its sharpness refreshes the palate. It is also served with rice cakes (tteok) and sweet confections such as yakgwa and hangwa, whose density and sweetness the tart liquid cuts. The structural reason is contrast: acidity and bitterness answer fat and sugar, and the cold clears the mouth.