A sweet Korean rice punch made with malted barley water, floating with soft rice grains — a cool, gently malty dessert drink.

Where does Sikhye come from?

Sikhye is a Korean dish from Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea.

Can Sikhye be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?

Yes. This Sikhye recipe includes ingredient substitutions to make it vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, or egg-free — including several of those at once, such as gluten-free and dairy-free together.

How long does Sikhye take to make?

About 35 minutes total (15 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking), serving 6.

Sikhye — a Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea recipe

Name: Sikhye
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1.5 cups malted barley flour (for the malt water); 2 cups cooked short-grain rice; 12 cups water; 1 cup sugar; 1-inch ginger

Asia → 🇰🇷 South Korea → Seoul (Gyeonggi)

Sikhye

Korean · medium · serves 6

prep 15 min · cook 20 min

~503 cal · 8g protein · 116g carbs · 1g fat (estimated, per serving)

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Glass of sweet rice punch with floating grains

🇰🇷 Seoul (Gyeonggi)

Sikhye is Korea's traditional sweet rice beverage, made by fermenting cooked rice in malted barley water until the grains float and the liquid turns lightly sweet and malty. Served ice-cold with a scatter of the soft rice and pine nuts, it is a beloved after-meal drink and a fixture at holidays and bathhouses.

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Make it yours

Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.

🥕 Vegetarian

🌱 Vegan

🌾 Gluten-Free

🥛 Dairy-Free

🥜 Nut-Free

🥚 Egg-Free

Ingredients

Serves 6 —

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1.5 cups malted barley flour (for the malt water)

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2 cups cooked short-grain rice

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12 cups water

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1 cup sugar

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1-inch ginger

Instructions

1

Soak the malted barley flour in the water for an hour, then rub and strain out the clear malt water.

2

Combine the malt water with the cooked rice and keep warm (about 140°F) for 4–6 hours until grains float.

3

Scoop out the floating rice and reserve; boil the liquid with sugar and ginger, skimming, for 10 minutes.

4

Cool, return some rice to the pot, chill thoroughly, and serve cold with a few grains in each glass.

Korean holiday and bathhouse tradition.

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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination

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Seoul (Gyeonggi). A capital that eats late, spicy, and always together.

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South Korea. Fermentation nation — kimchi, gochujang, and shared tables.

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Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.

The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.

👩‍🍳

Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker

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