Yaksik facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Yakbap |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Region or state | Korean-speaking areas |
| Main ingredients | glutinous rice, chestnuts, jujubes, and pine nut |
| Similar dishes | Shwe htamin, biko |
| Other information | Typically consumed during Jeongwol Daeboreum, weddings and hwangap festivities |
| Yaksik | |
| Hangul |
약식 / 약밥
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|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | yaksik / yakbap |
| McCune–Reischauer | yaksik / yakpap |
Yaksik or yakbap is a sweet and sticky Korean treat. Its name means "medicinal food" or "medicinal rice." It is made by steaming glutinous rice and mixing it with yummy ingredients. These include chestnuts, jujubes (a type of fruit), and pine nuts. The dish gets its sweet taste from honey or brown sugar. It also has sesame oil, soy sauce, and sometimes cinnamon. People traditionally eat Yaksik on Jeongwol Daeboreum. This is a Korean holiday on January 15th of the lunar calendar. It's also a popular dish for weddings and special birthday celebrations called hwangap.
Contents
Why is it Called Yaksik?
The name Yaksik comes from the word for honey. Long ago in Korea, honey was often called yak, which means "medicine." So, any food made with honey was thought of as "medicinal." For example, honey wine was called yakju. Honey rice was called yakban, which is an old name for Yaksik. Even fried honey rice cakes were called yakgwa. This shows how much people valued honey.
The History of Yaksik
Records of Yaksik can be found in old books from the 1200s. One famous story is about King Soji of the Silla kingdom. In the year 488, a crow and a mouse warned him about danger. The mouse told King Soji to follow the crow. The crow led a servant to a pond. An old man came out of the pond and gave the servant a letter. The letter warned the king about a plot to harm him.
King Soji followed the letter's advice. He shot an arrow into a box in his palace. Inside, he found a monk and a concubine planning to assassinate him. Thanks to the crow's warning, the king was safe. To remember this day, January 15th was made a special day. People offered Glutinous rice to crows to thank them. This tradition is believed to be how Yaksik began.
Later, during the Goryeo era, more ingredients were added to Yaksik. These included pine nuts, chestnuts, jujubes, honey, and oil. Yaksik is also mentioned in many books from the Joseon period. These books show that Yaksik was a well-known dish. Korean travelers even shared Yaksik with people in Yeonkyung, China. They called it Goryeoban and really enjoyed it. However, eating Yaksik on the first lunar month is a special custom unique to Korea.
How to Make Yaksik
Making Yaksik starts with steaming Glutinous rice. After steaming, the rice is mixed with honey and brown sugar. A little bit of ganjang is added to give the rice a nice color. Then, soft-boiled chestnuts, pine nuts, and quartered jujubes are mixed in. The jujubes have their seeds removed first. A bit of sesame oil is also added.
After mixing, the whole dish is steamed again. Once it's ready, Yaksik is often pressed into flat squares or other shapes. It is then left to cool down before eating. Today, many people use modern tools like rice pressure cookers to make Yaksik. Yaksik is usually eaten at room temperature. You can keep it in the fridge for a few days. For longer storage, it's best to put it in the freezer.
Yaksik and Korean Health Beliefs
In Korean culture, there's a belief called Yak Sik Dong Won. This idea means that good health starts with healthy food. If healthy food doesn't help, then medical treatment might be needed. This belief teaches that food is not just for filling your stomach. It's also important for preventing sickness and staying healthy. Korean food has been developed over hundreds of years. Many studies show that Korean dishes, including their ingredients and how they are prepared, are very healthy.
Yaksik is thought to be good for your health. Many Koreans believe it helps with digestion problems and heartburn. The jujubes in Yaksik are also believed to help with feeling nervous, anxious, and even with trouble sleeping (insomnia). Chestnuts, another ingredient in Yaksik, have important vitamins like C and B. These vitamins can help with issues like diarrhea.
See also
In Spanish: Yaksik para niños
