Jeonggwa is a traditional Korean desert prepared by boiling down dried fruits or edible health plant roots in honey. The sweet treat, which was developed as early as during the Joseon era, was usually braised with honey because sugar was very rare. Ginseng is known as ‘insam’ in Korean, and making insam-jeonggwa was a very effective way to preserve the wholesome ginseng roots for a long time. Therefore, it was considered a health snack that was also served for important guests.

Main Ingredients :
300 g ginseng

Spices :
5 cups starch syrup, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 jujubes



☑ Pick thick-rounded ginseng with a lot of fine rootlets that are about 8-years-old.
☑ Add salt to the boiling water to blanch ginseng, which will keep the saponin component of the health root from disappearing. The spice could also slightly flavor the ginseng.
☑ The saponin element in ginseng will be destroyed if it comes into contact with metal. So avoid using pots made with metal. It’s better to use a ceramic pot or those made with glass.
☑ Do not stir once the sugar is added, otherwise the mix will crystallize and white lumps will form.
☑ Adding honey at the last step will not only add a glaze to the candied ginseng but will also enhance the flavor coupled with the aroma of honey.


Kim Su-jin: Hansik Researcher

- Director of Association for Research on Taste of Korea
- Head Director of Food & Culture Korea Academy
- Nation’s First Film Food Director
(Major works: “Ssanghwajeom”, “The Painter of Wind”, “King and the Clown”, “Best Chef”)