[Food]

[Food] Dotorimuk (도토리묵, Acorn Jelly)

The Korean peninsula is a land full of mountains from top to bottom, so it's only natural that many natural products from trees in mountains have become major ingredients for peoples' daily diet.

Acorn has been one of the typical ingredients eaten by Koreans since time immemorial. Koreans soak acorn into water for more than 20 days to remove its austere, bitter and tannin taste, and grinds it into fine powder for cooking.

Acorn powder is mixed with water and boiled for more than 8 hours with continuous stirring, which requires long and heavy labor. Today, this labor is substituted with a machine in a factory.

Acorn jelly is a typical Korean dish that has been eaten by all Koreans regardless of economic or social status. Whenever there was a severe famine, everyday Koreans would climb mountains to harvest acorn to eat instead of grains.

Acorn jelly is usually mixed with soy-sauce, chili powder and fresh vegetables to become 'Dotorimuk muchim (Seasoned Acorn Jelly Salad)', which is a great side dish and snack for liquor. It can also be topped on rice and hot soup to become 'Mukbab (Rice with Acorn Jelly in Hot/Cold Broth)'.

Freshly made dotorimuk ('Acorn Jelly') is very chewy, firm, nutty and savory. Acorn detoxes your insides, protects the stomach and intestines, stimulates appetite, recovers fatigue and prevents everyday diseases. So it is a very popular food for vegetarians and the diet-conscious in Korea.

If you are on a diet or detox, how about trying acorn jelly? :)

Bon Appétit!