Buchi Kombucha Recipe

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.

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.

Combine with SCOBY and starter

Once the tea is fully cooled, transfer it to a clean 1-gallon glass jar or other nonreactive container. Gently add the starter kombucha (1 cup) and then place the SCOBY on top of the liquid. Do not use metal utensils to handle the SCOBY.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.