🏃♂️The main ingredient of Yeot Cookie (방울엿맛 쿠키 bang-uryeotmat kuki) is yeot, a Korean confection similar to taffy, usually made from rice.
How is it made? According to traditional methods, rice is boiled, then mixed with barley malt until it is slightly fermented, sweetening it naturally. After it is strained, the mixture is simmered until it becomes a thick dough, which is then pulled like taffy until it is adequately aerated. It eventually hardens, and cut into lengths. Nowadays, you can skip a few steps by using store-bought rice syrup.
How is it enjoyed? Yeot is a candy eaten in its stick or liquid form. Its liquid form is used as a substitute for other sweeteners. There are varying kinds of yeot in each region of Korea, using ingredience such as pumpkin, almond, sesame, persimmon, radish, ginger, or even meat.
Nutrition check! High in carbohydrates due to rice, and high in sugars produced during the fermentation process (a process called saccharification.) Radish yeot has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects.
A look in the past... For the past 1,000 years, yeot has been a crucial part of 한과 (hangwa, traditional Korean confections.) It is gifted as a good-luck charm, especially to those who are about to take exams; this is because 붙다 (butda) is a homophone for the terms "to pass a test" and "to stick, cling to," a play on words thanks to yeot being a sticky treat.
A look to the present... In recent years, the term "eat yeot" has become popular as a derogatory insult, synonomous with "screw you."
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