Honey Ginger Tea (Shōgayu)

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. With a knife, cut off the tough ends of the ginger root and scrape off the skin. If the skin is hard, peel the skin instead. Using a grater (I use a ceramic grater that I love), grate the ginger against the grain.
3. Tip: Hold the ginger vertically against the grater's teeth. Grate the end of the ginger root to avoid grating off its fibers, which run lengthwise along the root from one end to the other.
4. When the fibers start to appear and interfere with grating, cut off the fibers with a knife. This allows you to grate more ginger. Gather 1 Tbsp ginger, grated and with the juice, from the grater.
5. In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups water and the grated ginger. If you have more juice collected in the grater, you can add it to the sauce pan.
6. Mix and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
7. Meanwhile, make a slurry by combining 1 Tbsp water and ½ Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch. Mix the mixture well.
8. Once simmering, lower the heat and add 2 Tbsp honey and 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir to make sure the honey is completely dissolved. Tip: If you want to keep the full benefits of the honey, add honey once the tea has cooled to a "warm" temperature, about 122°F or 50°C, as a high temperature can kill the enzymes and antioxidants in the honey.
9. Quickly mix the slurry one more time, making sure the starch and water are not separated. Drizzle the slurry into the pot of ginger tea and quickly stir the tea well with a ladle to avoid lumps.
10. When the ginger tea is slightly thickened, serve it in cups and put a lemon slice on top (optional). Enjoy!
11. Keep the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight. Consume immediately. If the ginger tea gets too thick as it sits, dilute it with water and mix well when you reheat.