Hello, my beautiful people! Today, I want to introduce you to a new sensation—the Korean fruit punch, fruit salad, or fruit bowl—Hwachae (화채). It is a popular snack in Korea during the summer, but I was surprised to learn that many people wanted to learn this recipe throughout the year. I know some of you live in a warmer climate, so you could use this recipe year-round. Even in Norway, where I live, they already have strawberries and watermelon sold at grocery stores. That made me think that I really should get on with this Hwachae recipe for you all.
So here we go—here’s an article for the super-duper delicious Korean fruit salad punch bowl for you!
Introduction to Korean Hwachae
Korean Fruit Punch
Hwachae (화채) is a traditional Korean fruit punch. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture, it is a drink made by adding fruits and flower petals to sugar or honey-sweetened water. It is often enjoyed and served as a dessert or snack in the summer in Korea.
Modern Hwachae
In modern days, flower petals are often opted out of the Hwachae because it’s very hard to find them at grocery shops. (It would be so romantic to pick flowers from your garden and decorate your Hwachae with them.) It is made with an assortment of fruits available. On top of that, people like to add soda or milk instead of sugar-sweetened water. When it’s too hot outside, some people like to add ice cubes to it as well!
In this recipe, I will give you my favorite Hwachae recipe with other suggestions that you can use to make the popular Korean Hwachae recipe. 😋
Why You Should Try Korean Hwachae ❤️
I urge you to try Korean Hwachae if you are looking for a refreshing, beautiful, and healthy snack for the summer! This is also a very easy recipe to make, so people like to make this often at home during the warmer season.
Here are some of the reasons why you should try this Korean fruit punch.
- Naturally vegetarian/vegan
- Naturally sweetened
- Lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber
- Easy to make
- Refreshing & hydrating
- Festive look
It’s one of the go-to drinks or snacks for me during the summer. ☀️ Maybe it can be the one for you now?
Also, it’s a great way to use any fruits that are less sweet to eat on their own.
Variations of Korean Hwachae
This watermelon Hwachae is the most popular type of Hwachae in Korea these days, but there are many different kinds of Hwachae as well. I’ll go over them quickly.
Schisandra Berry Hwachae 오미자 화채
To start off, I want to introduce you to a very traditional Hwachae from the old days.
Schisandra berry is a gourmet ingredient from the traditional Korean cuisine. The sweetened tea from this berry is used as the liquid base for the traditional Hwachae. It is said to have used cherry or rose flowers in this Hwachae. It sounds so beautiful!
Berry Hwachae with Strawberry Milk 딸기우유 화채
Back to modern Hwachae, there are many modern types. Any combination of fruits would potentially work, so you can imagine how many Hwachae there can be!
One of my favorites is the berry Hwachae. I have a very lovely memory of my little aunt making raspberry Hwachae for me. I plan to create the recipe for it and share it here soon, so stay tuned. 🥰
Peach Hwachae 황도 화채
Canned peaches or canned mixed fruits were very popular back in the 90s in Korea. You can make the easiest Hwachae using the canned fruits, as they are already naturally sweetened. Just chill it and chop it up; you have the peach Hwachae from the 90s.
Ingredients for Watermelon Hwachae
Some might say you could add any kind of fruit in Hwachae. It is true to some extent, but there are certainly some combinations that work very well together.
So here are some of my favorite combos of the Hwachae and what’s popping in Korea.
- 🍉 Watermelon: This is the VIP of the show. When soaked with sweet liquid, the watermelon gets even sweeter, juicier, and soft. It soaks up the milk, and it tastes so good. Also, it is called “Watermelon Hwachae” because it is often served in the watermelon rind as a bowl to serve.
- 🍓 Strawberry: Lightly tangy and juicy, strawberry is one of the best ingredients to add to many kinds of Hwachae, including the watermelon Hwachae. It adds lots of fragrance and naturally turns the Hwachae milk into strawberry milk!
- 🍇 Green Grapes (Shine Muscat): I recommend using green grapes, especially Shine Muscat or similar sort here. It is extremely sweet with crispy and juicy flesh. The skin is edible without skin, so it adds fun floral, honey-like crispiness to the Hwachae.
- 🍍 Pineapple: You have two options here. You could use canned pineapple for guaranteed sweetness, but it would have softer flesh. Or you could use fresh pineapple, which might not taste as great but would have firmer and juicier flesh.
- 🥝 Kiwi: I love Kiwis, and I love adding green Kiwis to the watermelon Hwachae. It gives a beautiful pop of green and tartness. But if you want to keep it to a milder and sweeter flavor profile, you could also use yellow Kiwis. They are sweeter and have less acidity.
- 🍊 Tangerine (Optional): Adding tangerine is optional for many Hwachae. Tangerines, clementines, or any type of citrus fruit are often not added to Hwachae. I think it’s because they are not in the summer season. But if you can get your hands on them, add them! They go really great.
Tips for the Best Hwachae
Use Not-So-Sweet Fruits
Have dull, unsweetened, or even unripe fruits at hand? Well, those are perfect for Hwachae! When soaked in delicious Hwachae milky juice, any fruit turns sweet and juicy. Just let it sit in the fridge for a bit, and it will create a beautiful harmony within the bowl by itself.
But of course, it is even better with delicious fruits! 😉 🍉🥝🍇
Do you see how light the pineapple is? It was unripe and tasted dull. But with sweetened milk and soda, the pineapple also turned into juicy and sweet pineapple. 🍍🍍🍍
Store Hwachae In Fridge
The best way to enjoy Hwachae is to make it in advance and store it in the fridge for just a few hours before serving it. The fruits soak up all the sweet juice from Hwachae, and the juice also gets all the flavors and fragrances from the fruits, making it a wonderful concoction!
After it’s been in the fridge, the fruits become lightly soft and sweeter, and the milk becomes fruity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I remove all the watermelon seeds in Hwachae?
Ooooh, good question. There are a lot of seeds in the watermelon, yes. I bought a huge watermelon just the other day, which was imported from Turkey, and it was so ripe, juicy, and full of seeds. Did I take out all the seeds from the watermelon? No. You could do that if you really don’t like them and don’t mind spending time to take the seeds out of the fruit.
But from my experience, I think some watermelon seeds in Hwachae work just fine. They are like little nuts in the fruit punch. It’s up to you. 😊
Q. Can I make Hwachae in advance?
Yes, certainly! As a matter of fact, it tastes even better when Hwachae has been chilling for a few hours in the fridge. All the fruits and juice in there mingle together to make a perfect concoction. However, be sure to store it in the fridge with the cover closed! Otherwise, it can go bad very quickly. Also, Hwachae tastes the best when it’s cold.
Q. How long can I store Hwachae?
I recommend storing in the fridge for 5 hours max to maintain the crispy texture of the fruits. If you store them longer in the fridge, the fruit flesh can get soggy and too soft.
Well then, should we get into the Hwachae recipe? Let’s go! 🍉🥝🍇🍍💦
Popular Korean Hwachae Recipe | Watermelon Hwachae
Watermelon Hwachae
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare all the fruits. Wash them thoroughly.
- Peel the pineapples, oranges, and Kiwis.
- Cut all the fruits into bite-sized pieces. I like to cut the strawberries and grapes in half.
- Bring a big bowl and add all the fruit pieces.
- In a separate small bowl, pour the milk and mix in the powdered sugar. Mix well so the sugar is dissolved. Pour the sweetened milk into the fruit bowl. Pour the Sprite over the fruit bowl as well.
- Close the lid and bring the bowl into the fridge. Store it for 2-4 hours until cool.
- Optionally, you can add ice cubes to the bowl. Mix the fruits gently so they are well combined. You will see that the liquid has turned a light pink color and tastes sweet and fruity.
- Serve cold. Enjoy!
Summary of Korean Hwachae Recipe
I hope you enjoyed this Korean fruit punch, Hwachae recipe. The assortment of fruits creates a unique taste experience—tangy, sweet, crispy, soft, juicy, tender, citrusy! Every bite has a unique combination of fruits, making it an exciting flavor experience.
Make this healthy, refreshing, and delicious Korean Watermelon Hwachae for warm days.
I will see you again with another delicious post! I wish all of you a wonderful day.
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