Korean Seasoned Mung Bean Jelly Salad
Quick answer
Cheongpo muk - mung bean jelly - is made by dissolving starch in water, boiling it until thick, then leaving it to set into a translucent, firm block.
What makes this special
- Translucent mung bean jelly absorbs the soy dressing completely for a soft, firm salad.
- Translucent mung bean jelly absorbs dressing completely
- Vinegar and soy brighten the naturally bland jelly
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Bring a pot of water to a strong boil.
- 2 Place the blanched jelly in cold water for 1 minute to stop the heat.
- 3 Halve 80 g cucumber lengthwise and remove the watery seed section so the salad stays crisp.
Cheongpo muk - mung bean jelly - is made by dissolving starch in water, boiling it until thick, then leaving it to set into a translucent, firm block. It has appeared in Joseon-era palace banquet records as a traditional food. The jelly is blanched briefly, cut into matchstick strips, and tossed with julienned cucumber and carrot. A dressing of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar gives a clean, sharp edge. The jelly itself is nearly flavorless, functioning as a cool, slippery carrier for the seasoning. The crunch of the vegetables contrasts with the smooth jelly, and the vinegar keeps the whole dish light. Gentle tossing is essential to avoid breaking the blocks apart. Served well-chilled, this is a classic Korean summer banchan.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Bring a pot of water to a strong boil.
Add 300 g mung bean jelly and blanch for only 30 seconds, just until the surface looks slightly clearer, then lift it out right away.
- 2Prep
Place the blanched jelly in cold water for 1 minute to stop the heat.
Drain well, shake off excess water, and cut it into 0.5 cm strips with a light touch so it does not crush.
- 3Season
Halve 80 g cucumber lengthwise and remove the watery seed section so the salad stays crisp.
Cut it into 0.3 cm strips, then julienne 50 g carrot to the same thickness for even texture.
- 4Season
In a mixing bowl, combine 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sugar first.
Stir until no sugar grains remain, then mix in 1 teaspoon sesame oil so the dressing coats evenly.
- 5Prep
Add the jelly, cucumber, and carrot to the dressing.
Lift from the bottom with chopsticks or a wide spatula about six times, rather than stirring hard, so the slippery jelly strips stay intact.
- 6Finish
Transfer the salad to a serving plate and scatter 1 teaspoon sesame seeds evenly over the top.
Serve right away, or refrigerate for at least 15 minutes until the jelly feels cold and lightly seasoned.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
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Korean Stir-fried Mung Bean Jelly
Mung bean jelly is cut into thick strips, blanched for thirty seconds to remove surface starch, then stir-fried gently with julienned carrot and onion in a soy sauce seasoning. The brief blanch firms up the jelly's exterior just enough to survive the tossing in the pan without crumbling, and washing away the starch allows the jelly to absorb the flavors of its companion vegetables more readily. Low heat and a careful hand are non-negotiable; aggressive stirring breaks the strips into shapeless lumps. The carrot contributes a faint natural sweetness, and the onion releases a light caramel note as it softens, both of which fill in the jelly's inherently neutral taste with understated warmth. Chopped green onion added at the very end lifts the dish with a sharp, fresh bite. One tablespoon of sesame oil swirled in after the flame is off coats everything in a glossy sheen and a final wave of nuttiness. At 180 calories and 9 grams of fat, this is a low-calorie side with enough fiber to sit gently in the stomach. The pale yellow color of mung bean jelly - a signature of the ingredient - comes through clearly on the finished plate, giving the dish a clean, orderly appearance that matches its delicate flavor.
Korean Acorn Jelly Salad with Sesame Soy Sauce
Sesame-dotorimuk-muchim is an acorn jelly salad that begins by slicing 400 grams of dotorimuk into 1-centimeter-thick pieces and blanching them for 20 seconds to firm up the surface and make the jelly more resilient to tossing. Julienned cucumber and thinly sliced onion - soaked briefly in cold water to remove sharpness - join the jelly in a bowl. The dressing of soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil brings a sharp, tangy bite that contrasts with the neutral mildness of the acorn jelly. Generous sesame seeds are scattered on top, and the dish rests for five minutes before serving so the dressing can seep into the jelly's porous surface. The result is a light, refreshing banchan with a range of textures from springy to crisp.
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Cheonggak is a branching green seaweed harvested from the tidal flats of Korea's southern coast, recognizable by its dense, tree-like fronds and a sharp, concentrated oceanic smell. Blanching it in boiling water for exactly ten seconds brightens the color to a vivid green and preserves the cartilage-like crunch that defines the texture. Even a few seconds beyond that and the seaweed begins to collapse, so a timer is worth setting. After blanching, it is rinsed in cold water, squeezed firmly to remove moisture, and cut to finger lengths. The dressing uses vinegar as its leading ingredient alongside soy sauce, gochugaru, minced garlic, and sugar - the acidity of the vinegar dispels the sharp brininess of the seaweed and gives the finished dish a clean, refreshing quality. The seasoned cheonggak must be served immediately; within a few hours the seaweed releases liquid and the texture deteriorates beyond recovery. It appears in coastal markets across Jeollanam-do from midwinter through early spring and is absent from shelves the rest of the year.
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Korean Mung Bean Jelly Soup
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