Buchi Kombucha Recipe
Make Buchi Kombucha Recipe in just 15h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Kombucha Base (Batch)
Buchi (Fried Mochi-Filled Balls)
Finish & Serving
Method
Kombucha Base (Batch)
- 1
Brew sweet tea
Bring 4 cups of the filtered water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove from heat and add the tea: use about 6 teaspoons loose tea or 4–6 tea bags. Stir in 1 cup granulated sugar until fully dissolved. Steep the tea for 10–15 minutes depending on desired strength.
- 2
Dilute and cool
After steeping, pour the concentrated sweet tea through a fine mesh strainer into a clean, heatproof container. Add the remaining 8 cups of cold filtered water to the strained tea to bring the total volume to ~12 cups. Allow the sweet tea to cool to room temperature (no warmer than 75–80°F / 24–27°C) — this can take 1–2 hours.
- 3
- 4
Primary fermentation
Cover the jar with a tightly woven clean cloth or coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm, dark place with stable temperatures around 70–78°F (21–26°C). Allow it to ferment for 7–12 days. Taste after day 7; when the flavor is pleasantly tart and slightly sweet to your liking, it's ready for the next step.
Buchi (Fried Mochi-Filled Balls)
- 5
Make mochi dough
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups glutinous rice flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 1 cup room-temperature water while stirring until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead gently in the bowl or on a lightly dusted surface for 1–2 minutes until smooth. If dough is too dry, add up to 1–4 teaspoon more water; if too sticky, dust with a little more glutinous rice flour.
- 6
Portion and fill
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 1.5–2 tablespoons each). Flatten a piece in your palm into a small disk, place about 1 tablespoon of red bean or mung bean paste in the center, then pinch the edges together and roll gently to form a smooth ball, fully enclosing the filling. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- 7
Coat with sesame
Spread sesame seeds on a plate. Lightly moisten each filled ball with a tiny bit of water (or wet your hands) and roll it in the sesame seeds so the surface is evenly coated. Set aside on a tray lined with parchment.
- 8
Heat oil and fry
In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, pour enough vegetable oil to create a 2–3 inch deep frying pool (about 3–4 cups depending on the pot). Heat the oil to 340–350°F (170–176°C). Carefully slide 3–4 buchi into the oil without overcrowding. Fry, gently turning occasionally, until golden brown and puffed — about 2.5–4 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool slightly before serving.
Finish & Serving
- 9
Cold storage or second fermentation (optional)
When the kombucha primary fermentation reaches your desired acidity, remove the SCOBY (place it with ~1 cup of kombucha in a covered jar for future batches) and decant the fermented kombucha into bottles. If you want a lightly carbonated, flavored kombucha to serve with buchi, you can do a short secondary fermentation: add up to 2 tablespoons of simple syrup per 16 oz bottle (or fruit/puree) if desired, cap tightly and leave at room temperature for 1–3 days to build carbonation, then refrigerate to stop fermentation. For immediate serving, simply chill the kombucha in the fridge until cool.
- 10
Sweeten and assemble
If desired, stir up to 1/4 cup simple syrup into the batch to sweeten to taste (add sparingly—avoid excessive sugar if continuing to ferment). Fill glassware with ice (about 1 cube per 2 oz), pour chilled kombucha over ice, garnish with fresh mint leaves if using. Serve the warm, freshly fried buchi on the side or place 2–3 pieces on a small plate with napkins.
- 11
Storage
Store leftover buchi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours (they are best eaten same day) or refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes to refresh texture. Keep kombucha refrigerated and consume within 2–4 weeks for best flavor; discard if off-smelling or mold appears.
