Acorn jelly (Dotori Muk, 도토리묵) is a traditional Korean side dish known for its smooth, jiggly texture and mild, nutty flavor. Made from acorn starch, it’s naturally gluten-free and often served chilled—with a bold dipping sauce or tossed into a refreshing salad.
Have you ever eaten acorns? In Korea, we do—sort of. We turn them into dotori muk, or acorn jelly—a cool, jiggly dish that’s light, earthy, and surprisingly addictive.
I grew up eating dotori muk during the warm seasons or after a long hike in the mountains. It’s a classic post-hike treat in Korea—many little trail-side restaurants serve it chilled with crispy pajeon (Korean scallion pancake) and a bowl of makgeolli (Korean rice wine), which many folks enjoy to relax and refuel.
Now, don’t worry—you won’t need to forage for acorns or wait for them to fall from the trees to make this at home. These days, acorn jelly powder is easy to find at Korean grocery stores, and it takes just a few simple steps to turn it into that signature soft, bouncy jelly.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make dotori muk at home and how to dress it up into a refreshing salad that brings out all its subtle charm. It’s the kind of side dish that’s light but satisfying—perfect for balancing out a hearty Korean meal or adding something new to your table.
Equipment
1½ qt square or rectangular container (for setting the jelly)
Ingredients
For the acorn jelly:
- 1 cup (120 g) acorn flour
- 5½ cups (1.3 liters) water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sesame oil or perilla oil
For the spicy topping sauce:
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp sesame oil or perilla oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
For acorn jelly salad
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 handful each various salad greens, perilla leaves, cucumber, and carrot or your preferred choice
1-1/2 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
1-1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar