Homemade Water Chestnut and Sugar Cane Drink

“The natural thirst quencher to rehydrate body, flavourful and healthily”

Cooked some healthy drinks for the hot weekend, to quench our thirst as well as reduce heatiness in the body.

Homemade version of water chestnet and sugar cane drink has its natural and smooth mouthfeel that sooths the throat wonderfully. This homemade drink is also better in taste, not too strong flavour since it’s without additional flavouring. Simply loved its mild flavour, soothing and cooling effects.

I really wished to have it everyday. Well, it is so simple to cook this, actually. 10 minutes to prepare, and 30 minutes to cook this healthy beverage. You may keep this drink for a few days, simply store the unfinished portion in refrigerator for next days.

Ingredients
15 – 20 pieces of water chestnuts, with skin intact. Trim off both ends, scrubbed its skin, washed and soaked in clean water for 1 hour or longer
2 – 3 sticks of arm-length sugar cane, thin rods. Scrubbed skin and chopped into shorter length to fit into pot
100 gram of rock sugar, about the size of a fist

A pot of water, about 1500ml

Method
1) As abovementioned, trim off both ends of water chestnuts. Scrub skin with brush if it’s muddy (Get those ready washed bundles from supermarket to save this step). Wash thoroughly and soak in the water for an hour or more. Drain and set aside.

2) Use peeler or small knife to scrub the thick skin of sugar cane. Then, wash thoroughly. Set aside.

3) Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add sugar cane and water chestnuts into the boiling water. Reduce heat to low fire to simmer for 20 minutes. Add rock sugar and let it slowly dissolve, simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes. Heat off and serve hot, or chilled.

If prefer to have some crunchy bites of water chestnut in your drink, crush the chestnuts with one flat side of the chopper, before adding into the pot.

A cup of water chestnuts and sugar cane drink counts about 100kcal.

Tips: You may choose to peel off the thick skin completely, using a proper tool to do this task, if desired. Otherwise, simply scrub a little will do as it’s no harm boiling with the skin intact.
*Same thing, you have the choice to keep the skin of chestnuts or peel off completely. To me, I like to keep skin intact as I personally believed all food skins contain valuable nutrients, too. **Important: Regardless chestnuts with skin intact or not, soak chestnuts in clean water for long hours to get rid of the bacteria/ micro worms hidden inside the chestnuts flesh, especially if it’s to be eaten raw.
* Both ingredients can be found in various supermarkets, e.g. NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong Supermarket, from chilled compartment or vegetables section.  Try to request the service staff there to chop the sugar cane for you before bring home. Also available vegetables stores in wet markets, in fact.