Sikhye

1. Mix the barley malt powder and 3½ quarts (3.5 liters) of cold water in a large transparent glass bowl.
2. Mix well with a whisk.
3. Let stand 2 to 3 hours until the powder settles at the bottom of the bowl.
4. Prepare the rice in a rice cooker
5. Wash the rice by rubbing it and changing the water several times.
6. Drain it for 1 hour.
7. Pour the rice into the rice cooker.
8. Add ¾ cup (200 ml) of water to the rice, mix and cook.
9. When the rice is cooked, add the clear malt water to the transparent bowl, pouring it gently. Gently move the bowl and, while pouring the clear water, take care not to bring the lees up.
10. Stir the rice with a wooden spoon and break it a little.
11. Set the rice cooker to the “keep warm” function. Let stand and ferment for 4 hours.
12. Add the rest of the water to the remaining barley malt sediment in the transparent bowl.
13. Let stand while the rice is fermenting in the rice cooker.
14. Open the rice cooker after 4 hours and check if some grains of rice are floating. Dozens of grains should be floating float. If they are not floating yet, let it ferment again for an hour.
15. Pour the hot sikhye from the rice cooker into a large non-stick cooking pot.
16. Slowly pour the clear malt water that separated during the fermentation of the sikhye and discard the sediment. This results in about 3 cups (800 ml) of clear, malted water. Set aside.
17. Cover the pot and boil for 10 minutes. Add sugar (optional) and mix well.

To serve hot

1. Pour about 1½ cups (375 ml) of sikhye into a bowl or cup and serve with a spoon. You can drink it like tea or just drink the liquid and eat the rice with a spoon.

To serve cold

1. Pour the hot sikhye through a colander over a large bowl to collect all the rice. Collect the water.
2. Rinse the rice under running cold water and transfer it to an airtight container with some cold water. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Cool the hot water from the sikhye and transfer it to a glass jar. Refrigerate it.
4. When serving, pour about 1½ cups (375 ml) of cooled sikhye water into a small bowl and gently stir in about 2 tablespoons of rice.
5. Add pine nuts and/or pieces of dried jujubes.