Memil-muk
{{Short description|Korean buckwheat jelly}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Memil-muk
| image = Memil-muk.jpg
| caption =
| alternate_name = Buckwheat jelly
| country = Korea
| region =
| national_cuisine = Korean cuisine
| creator =
| year =
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| type = Muk
| course =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Buckwheat starch
| minor_ingredient =
| variations =
| serving_size = 100 g
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| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
| child = yes
| hangul = 메밀묵
| ipa = {{IPA|ko|me.mil.muk̚|}}
}}
}}
Memil-muk ({{Korean|hangul=메밀묵}}) or buckwheat jelly is a light gray-brown muk (jelly) made from buckwheat starch.{{Cite news|url=http://koreana.kf.or.kr/popup.asp?article_id=1096&flag=long&volumn=16&no=4&lang=English|title=Muk : A Refreshing Taste to Whet the Appetite|last=Koo|first=Chun-sur|date=Autumn 2003|work=Koreana|access-date=4 February 2012|issue=3|volume=17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831040301/http://koreana.kf.or.kr/popup.asp?article_id=1096&flag=long&volumn=16&no=4&lang=English|archive-date=31 August 2017|url-status=dead}} It is commonly served as banchan (a side dish accompanying rice) as well as anju (food accompanying alcoholic drinks).
In post-war Korea, from the mid to late-20th century, memil-muk along with chapssal-tteok (glutinous rice cakes) was widely served as yasik (late-night snack) by street vendors.{{Cite web|url=http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Index?contents_id=E0068021|title=memil-muk|last=정|first=혜경|website=Encyclopedia of Korean Culture|publisher=Academy of Korean Studies|language=ko|script-title=ko:메밀묵|access-date=19 June 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2016/01/317_194782.html|title=[Joseon Images] Snack peddlers popular to Westerners in 19th century|last=Neff|first=Robert|date=6 January 2016|work=The Korea Times|access-date=19 June 2017}} In modern times, it is popular as a diet food.
Along with other buckwheat dishes, it is a local specialty of Gangwon Province, especially Bongpyeong-myeon in Pyeongchang County.{{Cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?_method=view&MAS_IDX=101013000813193|title=memil-muk|website=Doopedia|publisher=Doosan Corporation|language=ko|script-title=ko:메밀묵|access-date=19 June 2017}}
Preparation
Unhulled whole buckwheat grains are soaked in water (to reduce bitterness). Soaked grains are then ground in maetdol (millstone) and sieved. The skins are discarded, and the remaining liquid is set aside to allow it to separate into layers. The upper layer, consisting of clear water, is discarded. The lower layer, consisting of settled buckwheat starch, is boiled with constant stirring. When cooled, the mixture sets to form a jelly-like substance, muk.
Memil-muk is most commonly eaten as memil-muk-muchim ({{lang|ko|메밀묵무침}}; "buckwheat jelly salad"), a banchan (side dish) in which chunks of memil-muk are mixed with chopped kimchi, ground toasted sesame seeds and soy sauce. In Gangwon Province, memil-muk is used in jesa (ancestral rites) for deceased ancestors. In summer, memil-muk-sabal ({{lang|ko|메밀묵사발}}; "cold buckwheat jelly soup") is made with cold kimchi broth, while in winter, memil-muk is served in hot jangguk (soy sauce-based beef broth).
In Yeongju, some houses are still made in the traditional way and eat muk-bap ({{Korean|hangul=묵밥|labels=no}}).{{Cite web|url=http://korean.visitkorea.or.kr/kor/bz15/food/w_taste_list.jsp?cid=872482&gotoPage=3&areaCode=&listType=|script-title=ko:묵밥|website=VisitKorea.or.kr|language=ko|access-date=2018-04-21}}
In folklore
In ancient times, memil-muk was thought to be irresistible to dokkaebi (Korean goblins).{{Cite news|url=http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/October-2014/Friday-Frights-A-Local-Ghoul-Glossary/|title=Friday Frights: A Local Ghoul Glossary|last=Jones|first=Brooke|date=28 October 2016|work=Honolulu|access-date=19 June 2017}}
Memil-muk is offered in dokkaebi-gut, a gut (shamanistic ritual performed by a mu shaman) for chasing away dokkaebi, which were believed to be the causes of contagious diseases.{{Cite web|url=http://folkency.nfm.go.kr/en/topic/GoblinRitual/1970|title=Dokkaebigut|last=Kim|first=Jongdae|website=Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture|publisher=National Folk Museum of Korea|script-title=ko:도깨비굿|trans-title=Goblin Ritual|access-date=19 June 2017}} Other rituals with similar purpose, such as dokkaebi-je, a jesa (Confucian ritual, held in households), and dokkaebi-gosa, a gosa (shamanistic or Buddhist household ritual, held in households), also include the offering of memil-muk.
Gallery
Korean buckwheat jelly-Memilmuk muchim-01.jpg|Memil-muk-muchim (buckwheat jelly salad)
Korean buckwheat jelly-Memil muksabal-01.jpg|Memil-muk-sabal (cold buckwheat jelly soup)
Korean buckwheat jelly-Memilmuk-01.jpg|Blocks of memil-muk (buckwheat jelly)
See also
- Dotori-muk, acorn jelly
- Nokdu-muk, mung bean jelly
- Konnyaku, Japanese konjac jelly
- List of buckwheat dishes