Yeot

Yeot belongs to those sweets so ancient that their origin is lost in Korean peasant memory, long before the chronicles of Goryeo preserved any record of them. In the countryside, this syrup or sweet paste was prepared in the cold season, when freshly harvested rice and germinated barley were abundantly available. Its production required several days of patience, marked by the slow fermentation of cereals followed by their prolonged cooking in large cauldrons, a knowledge passed down from mother to daughter within rural households. For a long time, yeot was less a delicacy than a precious energy reserve, kept for winter and to mark important moments in family life. It also held strong symbolic significance, associated with tenacity and perseverance, qualities wished upon younger generations.

• 1 kg glutinous rice or steamed white rice
• 200 g germinated barley malt (yeotgireum) ground into powder
• 3 liters warm water
• A pinch of salt (optional, according to regional customs)
• Sesame seeds or crushed nuts for coating (optional)

1. Steam the rice until it reaches a very tender and slightly sticky texture.
2. Mix the still-warm cooked rice with the barley malt diluted in warm water, then let it rest for several hours in a warm place so fermentation can transform the starch into natural sugars.
3. Filter the mixture through a clean cloth to collect the sweet liquid obtained, pressing the solid matter thoroughly.
4. Pour this liquid into a large cauldron and boil it at length over low heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
5. Continue reducing for several hours until obtaining either a thick, glossy syrup, or, by prolonging cooking further, a paste firm enough to be stretched by hand.
6. Stretch the still-warm paste between your hands, folding it back on itself repeatedly, until it whitens and takes on an airy texture.
7. Shape into sticks or pieces, optionally rolled in sesame seeds or nut pieces, then let harden at room temperature.

Yeot reveals a natural sweetness, round and malty, quite different from refined sugar, with subtle cereal notes reminiscent of germinated barley. In its syrupy form, it appears viscous and amber-colored, while when stretched, it becomes a pale paste, almost pearlescent, brittle on the surface yet melting in the mouth. Its discreet, rustic aroma evokes long cooking and grain patiently transformed.