Sikhye (rice punch) is a traditional sweet Korean drink made of fermented malt and rice. As the rice ferments, the grains turn white and become spongy, releasing their starch into the liquid, which turns light amber. The punch is never fermented long enough to become alcoholic, and it’s often served as a dessert in Korean restaurants. It has a pleasantly malty aftertaste.

It’s also sold in cans at Korean grocery stores, but the homemade version has a more intense malt flavor than anything you can get in a can. Sikhye is usually served cold, but when you make it at home, you can enjoy it right after boiling it, or even freeze it into slush!

This recipe uses a rice cooker to ferment the barley malt powder water and rice, but if you don’t have one you can do it in a pot on the stove. Just keep the temperature between 122°F and 150°F  (50°C to 65°C) for 4 hours, until some of the rice is floating. This is the traditional method I show in the larger batch of sikhye in my first cookbook. The point is to keep it at a warm temperature without cooking it, so the enzyme amalyse can help the starch from the rice turn into sugar.

Ingredients

Garnish (optional)

You will need a 10 cup rice cooker with a “warming” setting.

Directions

  1. Combine the barley malt powder and 14 cups cold water in a  large bowl. Stir well with a whisk or a wooden spoon.
  2. Let it sit for 2 to 3 hours until the powder settles on the bottom.

Make rice with a rice cooker:

  1. Wash the rice, changing the water a couple of times and finally draining as much water as you can.
  2. Add ¾ cup water to the rice, put it in the rice cooker, turn it on and start cooking.

Add the barley malt water to the rice & let it ferment:

  1. When the rice is done, add the clear malt water from the bowl by gently pouring it in. Be careful in moving the bowl and pouring, so you don’t disturb the dregs on the bottom.
  2. Stir the rice with a wooden spoon and break it up a bit.
  3. Set the rice cooker to warm. Let it sit and ferment.
  4. Stir the rest of the 4 cups of water into the leftover barley malt sediment. Leave it to sit and settle while the rice ferments in the rice cooker.

Check the rice:

  1. Open the rice cooker after 4 hours and check to see if some of the rice grains are floating.
  2. About dozens grains should be floating. If not floating yet, let it ferment for another hour.

Make sikhye:

  1. Pour the hot sikhye out of the rice cooker into a large pot.
  2. Gently pour in the clear malt water that has been separating while the sikhye ferments and discard the sediment. You will get about 3 cups of clear malty water.
  3. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup sugar (if used) and mix well.

Serve hot:

  1. Ladle about 1½ cup of sikhye into a small bowl or cup and serve it with a spoon. You can drink it like tea or just drink the liquid and eat the rice with a spoon.

Serve cold:

  1. Pour the hot sikhye though a strainer over a large bowl to gather all the rice. Rinse the rice under cold running water and transfer it to an airtight container with some cold water. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. Cool the hot sikhye water and transfer to a glass jar. Refrigerate it.
  3. When you want to serve, ladle about 1½ cup cold sikhye water to a small bowl and gently stir in about 2 tablespoons rice.
  4. Garnish with pine nuts and jujube pieces if you use. Serve with a spoon.

How to make slush:

  1. Freeze the rice punch until it’s half frozen (8 cups of sikhye usually takes 5 to 6 hours).
  2. Or make granita by adding some clear sikhye water into an airtight container and freezing it solid.
  3. To serve, ladle out icy cold sikhye slushy and/or scrape frozen sikhye with a fork, and stir in about 2 tablespoons rice. Add garnish (if you use) and serve with a spoon.

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196 Comments:

  1. putri90 joined 5/15 & has 3 comments

    Hi maangchi.. can i make shikye without sugar? How long it last in the fridge?

  2. ashleele1989 Anaheim, California, USA joined 5/14 & has 3 comments

    Hi Maangchi, thank you so so much for the great ( very thorough and clear) recipe for sikhye. I learnt about sikhye from your site and never hesitate to give it a try because of your detailing video clip. Before making my own sikhye, I have tried the drink from one of the best korean tofu house restaurant in my town called Kaju tofu house but their sikhye is really bad, overly sweet and all the rice sinks down to the bottom. I decided to make my own sikhye right after getting out of the restaurant. I followed your recipe carefully and try to read most of the comments to get more ideas about the drink. So, finally, i made it so successfully. I love to make my sikhye less sweet than usual so right before serving I can sprinkle a bit of sugar to the drink and then add the rice, amazingly all the rice float, i mean all of them float, none sinks down to the bottom. My sikhye has a unique aroma that i cannot describe, i believe the aroma comes from the barley malt and also the fermenting process with rice has made the smell more attractive. I love to cook korean food and i find your site’s recipes are great to try. I have made so far plenty dishes from your recipes. Thank you again for your great contribution

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      It sounds like you made perfect shikhye! Yes, I like my shikhye less sweet with full malt flavor, too!
      “..right before serving I can sprinkle a bit of sugar to the drink and then add the rice, amazingly all the rice float,” yes, that’s right! Congratulations!

  3. sl100048 Singapore joined 6/11 & has 15 comments

    Hi Maangchi – I love your Shikhye recipe which is super easy. I am wondering how to make the cooked rice float a lot when serving as I tried twice which all cases the rice sank more than floating. Appreciate your advice on this. Have a great festive season.

    ps – I will be making this dessert for the New Year as my son is here from UK to spend time with us.

    Best, JY

  4. anastasialeehanbyul Seoul, South Korea joined 2/12 & has 2 comments

    Hi, Maangchi!
    Do you know by any chance exactly at what temperature should this mixture be kept to ferment successfully? I’m asking that because I found out that my rice cooker’s keep warm temperature is 70 C. This would be too high for making yogurt for example (I can adjust this temperature to 50 C). I was thinking that same applies in this case, and I need to lower the temperature, if I don’t maybe the rice won’t ferment properly. In any case I will try this recipe with lower temp first and see how it goes.

  5. saigelee nunapitchuk joined 6/13 & has 1 comment

    I tried making this and it didn’t work. I followed the recipe but 5 hours later the rice didn’t float. what did I do wrong?

    • Poidog_HI Guam joined 3/13 & has 7 comments

      The first time I made Sikhye it came out just like in the video, using a Korean Malt Powder I purchased from ebay. However because the malt powder was expensive I looked for an inexpensive alternative, and used a US made malt powder meant for baking or home beer brewing. I experienced the same results; the rice would not float to the surface even after 6 hours. I am going to go back to the previous malt powder I used. I found another seller who sells the barley malt in its raw form but one package is $18US! I found in my local Korean super market “Barley Malt Tea” I wonder if I could use that instead?

  6. Jensung Taguig City, Philippines joined 6/13 & has 2 comments

    I love this dessert very much. I first tasted this drink at a popular Korean resto here in PH called Sariwon Korean Bbq and it was love at first “taste”. Hihi. I think the prep time requires a lot of time but I might try this when I have plenty of time. I saw this “instant sikhye mix” at a Korean Mart which cost around $5 and I might buy one this week. (^_^)

    Thanks Maangchi for your recipes. I am really a fan of everything about korea expecially the food. My officemate thinks that I am a Korean in a Filipina body. Hahaha. That’s funny and I think he’s right. (^_^)

  7. Poidog_HI Guam joined 3/13 & has 7 comments

    At our favorite Korean restaurant they serve the Rice drink as complimentary dessert, and seeing how my children loved this dessert I had to try it myself. WOW! I instantly liked it! I am so grateful you did an excellent job in making the video on how to make Sikhye. I was very intimidated in making the Rice drink, but following your video I was successful! Last night I made my first batch. It came out exactly how our favorite restaurant makes it! I can understand why you insist on using a pot with a thick metal bottom to cook the rice, I observed you don’t need to use too much heat to get fluffy rice. I prefer glass over plastic pitchers, but having 5 children makes glass pitchers a hazard. Can drinking Sikhye everyday be unhealthy for you? My wife thinks so because of the sugar content, what do you think?

    I tried the canned Sikhye and it tasted terrible! Nothing like homemade Rice Drink :-)

  8. MeepKitty Florida joined 10/12 & has 9 comments

    I love this drink. I make it for my boyfriend all the time and he drinks about a liter every 2 days!! It’s very important to let the fermentation process happen for at least 5 hours in my opinion. I once made it rushed, and only let the shiikhye to ferment for 3.5 hours and it tasted so bland!!! Thank you for the recipe Maangchi!! :) I would have never discovered how to make that can drink I spent like a dollar per a can for!!

  9. swiedom saratoga springs joined 5/12 & has 1 comment

    Doesn’t boiling the liquid in the end kill any beneficial bacteria in the drink? Thanks so much!!!

  10. SueBear84 Annandale joined 11/11 & has 1 comment

    Hello~~~..
    I know this question sounds silly but what is Malted Bailey Powder in Korean~?…

    Thank you.

  11. Xuxu China joined 10/11 & has 2 comments

    Hi Maangchi, I’m so excited to try this recipe but I don’t have rice cooker :( Can I just boil it in a pot? Thank you!

  12. sl100048 Singapore joined 6/11 & has 15 comments

    Hi Maangchi,
    I personally LOVE shihye which I have indulged from my youth..
    Now I need to hand down the beautiful taste to my children. I would like to ask you why you put only 1 cup of rice into the malt power water instead of all cooked rice? Is there any reasons behind and can I put all of them at one go? Thanks for your reply. JY

  13. AgnetaloveK Sweden joined 6/11 & has 1 comment

    Hello
    I have a few questions

    1) Do you know if Barely malted powder is like the stuff Chinese use for their sikhye?

    2)After cooking the rice(before fermenting it) should the rice still be a little bit hard to chew on?

    3)After I fermented the rice the water tasted like rice water and I didn’t sense anything special with the smell. What did I do wrong during this process?

  14. dragon_hi Honolulu joined 6/11 & has 1 comment

    Aloha Maangchi,
    I made the rice drink today and it turn out good, only when I add sugar in I’m not sure what the taste of the drink. Is it suppose taste little bit sweet? And the drink can last for how long when I put in refridgerator? Mahalo

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      Aloha! : )
      yes, it is supposed to be a little sweet. You can keep it for 4-7 days in the fridge. Don’t forget it will still ferment in the fridge. I usually finish eating it in a few days after making.

  15. jemalah Canada joined 6/11 & has 1 comment

    hi maangchi

    thanks for your generous heart!!!!
    i am trying to reduce refined (white/brown) sugar as much as possible….so…for the sikhae…can we use honey or agave nectar or maple syrup…etc…or even raw sugar?

    thank you!!!
    p.s. same question for other korean dishes requiring white/brown sugar

  16. mokpochica Michigan joined 1/09 & has 89 comments

    I am so happy right now having two large containers of shikhye in my fridge. It is delicious and a hit with everyone. Maybe after the kids are asleep tonight I will take a nice hot shower, make a funny towel hat for myself and then drink a big glass of shikhye so I can pretend I am at a jjimjilbang.

  17. Toto Bonn, Germany joined 6/10 & has 37 comments

    I can just pour 6 cups of water in my rice cooker. is it enough for sikhye when I use it or should I use a bigger basin?

  18. Marisol Malaysia joined 8/10 & has 8 comments

    This morning I checked my sikhye, it seems done and smell good also, now I already boil it and waiting for the sikhye to turn cool and put in refrigerator, after fermented some of the rice will float on the surface of sikhye,the taste of the rice also good. I am using brown sugar so the colour of the sikhye a little bit brownish than what you display on website video. Thanks Maangchi.

  19. Marisol Malaysia joined 8/10 & has 8 comments

    Dear Maangchi,
    I am fermenting the barley malt powder water with sugar and cooked rice
    on the electrical stove, I hope it will success. Thanks so much for the recipe, cann’t wait to try the drink.

  20. Arakaki California joined 9/10 & has 1 comment

    I am new to your site and love it!!! I tried sikhye in a korean restaurant..<3 it!! It had a ginger flavor which was good.

    I'm in the process of fermenting my rice with the barley water. I'm sure I'll be making this again. To save time, can I make and store my clear malted water in the refrigerator the day before?

    Thanks so much…

  21. that looks delicious~!
    how long did it take you to make that though?

  22. carlam joined 7/10 & has 1 comment

    Can this recipe be made with Brown Short Grain rice??

  23. Toto Bonn, Germany joined 6/10 & has 37 comments

    Hi Maangchi!
    I really love this drink. I got it just ready at a Korean Store. Unfortunately I can`t find the malt powder so I wanted to ask whether I can just use Boricha (Barley tea) and grind it or would that be a bad idea?
    Thank you

  24. monivela joined 12/09 & has 1 comment

    Hi Maangchi…

    I had this drink after a Korean dinner at a restaurant, they called it “rice punch” I believe it was the same. I noticed the flavor of ginger in the drink and really enjoyed the ginger flavor added to the drink.

    At what point can I add the ginger? Perhaps when the mixture is on the stove top to cook the ginger?

    Thank you for your assistance….

    ~Moni

  25. FK07 joined 6/10 & has 2 comments

    I bought the Malted Bailey Powder in US and I made the rice drink successfully. Thank you very much for your recipe.

    Now I’m in my country, Vietnam. I went to the Korean market, they said they didnt have that powder. However, they have other package to make the rice drink. It looks like the bailey or rice seeds, but I dont know how to make it :(
    Can you help me?
    Thanks a lot.

  26. Aislinn21 Boise, ID joined 5/10 & has 2 comments

    Help!
    I dont think my rice cooker is big enough.
    Can I reuse the rice or is there a different way to do this?

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      yes,it’s possible to make shikhye without using a rice cooker, especially when you make large quantities.

      Keep it on the stove with low heat and when it reaches hot temperature (more than 40 Celsius), turn the heat off. Then reheat it again when it cools down (about 30 Celsius).

      You will have to keep an eye on it. Don’t let it boil over. If it’s too hot, the rice grains in shikhye will not be fermented.

      Good luck with your shikhye making!!

  27. aqua joined 3/10 & has 3 comments

    Hi! So I finally decided to make this and I bought a package similar to yours that said “malt flour (fine)” but what I found was that it was not flour-like and had more coarse pieces in it. As a result, when I added the water, it did not look like what you had. Here are two pictures: (did I buy the wrong package ?)
    http://i42.tinypic.com/13yj978.jpg
    http://i42.tinypic.com/2dgmbeg.jpg

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      yeah, the package says it’s fine malt powder but it looks coarse in the second photo. Don’t worry much about it. It’s just wrong translation.
      Follow the directions in the recipe, then you will make good shikhye! : )
      Put the mixture of water and coarse barley malt flakes into a strainer and wait for water to drain out. Throw away the stuff in the strainer. Then wait until the fine sediments are sunk on the bottom. You need only clear water to make shikhye.

  28. Brian_Montoya Colorado Springs,Colorado joined 12/09 & has 14 comments

    this is probably a stupid question, but is it possible to make shikye without a rice cooker?

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      Of course it’s possible to make shikhye without using a rice cooker, especially when you make large quantities.
      Keep in mind only one thing keep the temperature warm about 40 Celsius. If it’s too hot, the rice grains in shikhye will not be fermented.

      • Brian_Montoya Colorado Springs,Colorado joined 12/09 & has 14 comments

        so should i just keep it on the stove with the heat barely on and keep checking the temp.?

        oh, and btw, thanks so much for your reply hon, i love your recipes, especially your kimchi, its simply the best, ive tried so many other recipes and none of them are as good or as easy to make, it comes out perfect everytime!!

        • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

          yes, you are right.
          Keep it on the stove with low heat and when it reaches hot temperature (more than 40 Celsius), turn the heat off. Then reheat it again when it cools down (about 30 Celsius)
          You will have to keep an eye on it. Don’t let it boil over.
          Good luck with your shikhye making!!

  29. Wow, wonderful delicious sihkye, mine came out delicious! I have been enjoying it nightly for dessert, I love the malted barley flavor, and the sweetness with the ice cubes floating in it. I’m making another batch right now for my nieces, they are going to LOVE it as a drink to go with their salty snacks while they study. So much better than the canned stuff, thanks Maangchi for making this video and recipe available for me to make it!

  30. aqua joined 3/10 & has 3 comments

    Hi maangchi!

    I recently had some cereal drink my korean friend gave me, however, I don’t think it is sikhye. Can you confirm what this drink is and whether the process of making it is similar? http://www.wjfood.com/beverage/morningrice.asp

    Thanks!

  31. lady_nesa Chicago joined 3/10 & has 1 comment

    Hi there Maangchi!~
    I was wondering,
    about a year ago I visited Korea for the first time, and the family I stayed with took me to a beautiful restaurant. It seemed very unique in that it had traditional sliding doors, underground heating, and each room led outside instead of being one big building. They served a really delicious drink in a wooden cup that tasted sweet & had rice in it, but was room temperature(maybe because it was cold at night?). Could this have been sikhye or a different drink altogether?
    Thank you so much!~ :]

  32. leeemur SF Bay Area joined 7/09 & has 9 comments

    I love shikhye, but it’s so time consuming to make…
    I bought some bottled shikhye and canned shikhye from the supermarket, but it didn’t taste as good as the homemade ones… so I finally found time to make this and it is so worth it!!! So good and refreshing!! Thank you maangchi!

  33. Hi Maangchi, you are the best. I’ve followed your recipe for the sikhye and it was so sucessful, I have some questions, yesterday i asked my brother to buy the malted powder and the rice from the Korean Supermarket, but he bought me the malted powder(i guess you know which one i’m talking about) which is not ground and he got me the sweet rice. can I use the sweet rice instead of the regular one? and can i use the malted powder which’s not ground?? Thanks for your help

  34. Hi Maangchi!
    Love all your videos…they’re very helpful.
    Sikhye is one of my all time favorite drink. I’m going try to make it but I have a few questions. Instead of cooking the rice the traditional way to make sikhye, can I cook the rice in a rice cooker? Can I refrigerate the rice together with the drink instead of refrigerating them separately? Also, if I want a darker color drink and stronger taste, would I use more malt powder and less water? Thank you!

    Jenny

    P.S. love your blog. Your backpacking story is inspirational…I would like to do that one day! ^_^

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      1.Yes, you can use your rice cooker to make rice for shikhye, but use less water than usual rice making. Rice grains should not be mushy.

      2.Yes, you don’t have to separate rice grains from the shikhye juice before keeping in the refrigerator.

      3. no, you don’t have to. The ratio of the ingredients for this recipe will make strong flavor of shikhye. If it’s too strong, you and add more water and sugar.

  35. I finally made sikhye and it turned out great! Some minor adjustments on my part is cutting down some sugar and I had to strain the liquid at the end because there was still some starch floating around. Like Kim, my sikhye was more of a light tea color, but I don’t care because it tasted delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your recipes Maanchi! :) When it’s the right season for my market to stock on dried persimmons, I really want to try your Sujunggwa recipe next!

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