Dotorimuk, or acorn jelly, is a Korean jelly made from acorn starch. Although “muk” means “jelly”, when used without qualifiers, it usually refers to dotorimuk. The practice of making dotorimuk originated in mountainous areas of ancient Korea, when such regions were abundant with oak trees such that the amount of acorns produced each autumn were plentiful enough to become a source of food. Like other muk, dotorimuk is most commonly eaten in the form of dotorimuk muchim (도토리묵무침), a side dish in which small chunks of dotorimuk are seasoned and mixed with other ingredients such as slivered carrots and scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, red chili pepper powder, and sesame seeds.
Dotorimuk was widely eaten in Korea during the Korean War, when millions of people were displaced and starving. It consequently became associated with poverty, and most people who could afford them ate memilmuk or other jellies instead. However, in recent years it has been rediscovered as a health food.
- Use:
Side dish, Salad- Storage:
Powder: Keep in the cabinet.
Cooked Dotorimuk: Keep in the refrigerator.- Types:
You can buy already made dotorimuk in the refrigerator section.
You can also buy a powder and make it by yourself.- Short Korean lesson:
Dotori (도토리)=Acorn
Muk (묵)=Jelly
Garu (가루)=Powder
