Steamed pear

Hi everybody!
Let’s meet a new Korean food called baesuk! : )

Baesuk, as its name indicates, it’s cooked pear (“bae” = pear” and “suk” = cooked). There are 2 types of baesuk: steamed whole pear and cooked pair punch, like sujeonggwa. Today I’m showing how to make the steamed pear, sometimes called baejjim (“jjim” = steamed) or baekkuljjim.

Since I posted my ginger tea recipe and explained that it’s a home remedy for colds, stomachaches, and nausea (it sounds like panacea, yeah?), many people have asked me to post more recipes that are not only delicious but have medicinal qualities and are healthy. Baesuk is great for colds, especially sore throats and coughs. It’s also a delicious sweet snack or dessert. Yes, it’s very delicious! I love the texture of cooked pear.

If you serve baesuk for a loved one who has a severe cold, say this: “I made Korean baesuk for you. Have this whole pear and the juice on the bottom, then your cold will be gone!” If you serve baesuk as a dessert, you can say, “you want some Korean style dessert? Baesuk is waiting for us!”

I’m going to show you how to make baesuk with a Korean pear, and also with a small bosc pear, which is easier for some people to find and is the perfect portion for a dessert. Enjoy the recipe and please let me know how yours turns out, and how you serve it to your loved ones.

Ingredients (1-2 servings)

• a 1 pound Korean pear
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 ts ginger, grated
• ½ ts cinnamon powder
• 1 tbs pine nuts
• 2 jujubes (optional), pits removed

Directions

1. Rinse the pear in cold water and pat dry.
2. Make a lid by slicing 1 inch off the top.
3. Scoop out the core and the seeds with a small spoon.
   
   
4. Fill it up with honey, ginger, cinnamon powder, and jujubes
   
   
5. Put the sliced lid back on the pear and put it in a heat-resistant bowl. In the video I’m using a soup bowl.
6. Steam the pear about 1 hour over medium high heat.
   
7. If you’re trying to cure a cold, serve it hot, with a small spoon. Otherwise, you can serve it hot or chill it in the fridge before serving.
   

Bosc pear baesuk:
If you make baesuk with a bosc pear, the directions are the same but you only need to steam it for 30 minutes. And because the pear is smaller, the ingredients need to be scaled down:

• 1 tbs honey
• ½ ts ginger, grated
• ¼ ts cinnamon powder
• 2 ts pine nuts
• 1 jujube (optional), pit removed