Dotori Mook (Acorn Jelly)
Recipe from KoreanCuisineRecipes.com
Dotori Mook – 도토리 묵 is a jelly made from cooking dried acorn powder with water and then letting it cool to become like jello but firmer. Koreans slice this into thick squares and enjoy it drizzled with spicy soy sauce. The flavor of the jelly is quite mild with hints of nutty and earthy flavor with a very slight astringent taste at the end.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried acorn starch
4.5 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vegetable oil
Sauce 1 (less sweet and classic)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water (or anchovy stock)
2 tsp Korean red chili powder (gochukaru)
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
2 green onions (chopped)
Sauce 2 (sweeter, tangy, and spicy) - great with more veggies
2 Tbsp soy sauce (jin ganjang (sempio or kikkoman))
1.5 Tbsp Korean red chili powder
1.5 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp cooking sake (rice wine or mirin)
1.5 tsp sesame oil
0.75 tsp sugar
Instructions
Measure acorn starch in a bowl and add cold water. The ratio will change depending on your acorn species, but it usually around 5:1 water to powder.
Add salt and mix again.
Transfer the acorn mixture into a pot and turn on the heat to medium. Stir occasionally for the first 3-4 minutes to make sure it heats evenly. At about 4 min, you will see tiny bits of gelatin forming and the mixture starts to thicken. Stir now continuously for another 4 min (total 8-9 min) or so while it becomes thick and peaks are formed (much like whipped cream) and holds shape. It will thicken suddenly so keep an eye on it.
Add oil and cook for another 1 minute. Keep stirring so oil is all mixed in. Oil is not a must but it makes it more smooth and soft tasting. Don’t stop right away after it forms peaks, make sure you cook 9-10 min in total or more to ensure it’s fully cooked. See video.
Prepare a rectangular glass container or a baking pan (8″x 5″ x 2(H)” works for my basic 4 servings recipe).
Transfer the cooked, hot Dotori Mook - 도토리 묵 mixture from the pot onto the container in 3. Jiggle the container a bit to evenly spread the mix. With a spatula smooth out the top as much as you can.
Loosely cover the mook with a wrap or parchment paper. Cool for 5 hrs or overnight until it’s firm and bounces back when touched. It should be firmer than jello. The longer you cool, the firmer it will get up to a certain point of course. If the temperature is warm where you are, you can also let it cool in the fridge but it’s better not to if you can.
While it’s cooling, make Yangnyeomjang sauce.
For Sauce 1 – In a bowl, add soy sauce, water or anchovy broth, Korean red chili pepper powder, sesame seeds, sugar, sesame oil, chopped green onions
When the mook is firm, loosen it by tilting the container to one side, the opposite side should start to come away from the walls. When you have done this with all 4 sides, place a plate or cutting board on top and turn it over (like how you do with baked cakes when you want to get it out of the pan). And VOILA! You should have the mook on your cutting board now.
