Seasoned Korean Acorn Jelly (Dotorimuk Muchim)
Dive into the delicious Korean Acorn Jelly Salad, or Dotorimuk Muchim. This healthy, gluten-free dish combines silky acorn jelly with crunchy veggies in a tangy, savory dressing. It's a fresh and unique addition to any meal—definitely worth trying!
Servings: 6 to 8
Calories: 182kcal
Ingredients
DOTORIMUK – KOREAN ACORN JELLY
- 1/2 cup acorn starch
- 3 cup water
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp perilla oil or sesame oil (If possible, I recommend using perilla oil, as it enhances the flavor of dotorimuk significantly.)
DOTORIMUK MUCHIM – KOREAN ACORN JELLY SALAD
- 420 g Korean acorn jelly (dotorimuk), (15 ounces), thinly sliced (1 to 1.5 cm / 0.6 inch thickness), this can be made from scratch or purchased from a Korean grocer or banchan store.
- 55 g cucumber (English or Lebanese), thinly sliced
- 30 g onion (I used half a yellow onion and half a purple onion.)
- 25 g carrot , julienned
- 20 g lettuce leaves , thinly sliced, (I used oak leaves lettuce and baby cos lettuce.)
ACORN JELLY SEASONING
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp green onion
- 1/2 tsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
MAKE DOTORIMUK: ACORN JELLY FROM SCRATCH
- In a medium-sized pot, combine the acorn starch with water. Stir continuously while cooking over medium heat.
- As the mixture begins to thicken (it takes about 3 minutes for induction and 4 minutes 30 seconds for a gas stove), add the salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for 20 minutes.
- Incorporate the perilla oil (or sesame oil) and cook for an additional 10 minutes over low heat, continuing to stir.
- Transfer the acorn jelly into a container and let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour. After cooling, cover with the lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using.
MAKE DOTORIMUK MUCHIM: ACORN JELLY SALAD
- Combine the seasoning sauce and mix well.
- Place the salad ingredients (cucumber, onion, carrot, and lettuce) in a mixing bowl. Add half of the seasoning sauce and mix well.
- Add the acorn jelly and the remaining seasoning sauce. Mix carefully and lightly but thoroughly (if you mix it too hard, the acorn jelly will break.)
- Serve with a bowl of rice and other Korean side dishes.
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
- If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
- If you can buy pre-made acorn jelly from a Korean grocer or a banchan (Korean side dish) shop, you can significantly shorten the preparation time. Just move on to the next step, which involves making the sauce and mixing it with the salad vegetables. Some shops include a dressing, but I believe my sauce tastes better.
- It's crucial to follow the instructions for heating level and cooking time. If you cook at too high a temperature, the jelly can burn, and cooking too quickly will stop the acorn jelly from solidifying properly, causing it to fall apart.
- Choosing the right size container is important. If the container is too big, the acorn jelly will turn out too thin and won't look as nice.
- If you're curious about how I got the wavy cut in some of the photos, I used a crinkle-cut/wavy knife, and it worked perfectly. But you can use a regular knife for a regular sliced look too.
- My favorite way to serve acorn jelly is to mix it with salad vegetables and dressing all together in a bowl first. It allows the jelly and vegetables to really soak up the sauce, enhancing the flavors beautifully. But if you don't want to serve it with vegetables, simply place the sliced acorn jelly on a plate, spread the seasoning over the top using a spoon, and then serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 182kcal