Yaksik (Korean Sweet Rice with Dried Fruit and Nuts) (2024)

Learn how to make Korean sweet rice dessert – Yaksik (Yakbap)!

What is Yaksik (Yakbap)

Today, I’m introducing a Korean dish known as Yaksik, or Yakshik (약식), also referred to as Yakbap (약밥). This translates to ‘medicinal food’, owing to its key ingredient – honey. In ancient Korea, honey was not just a sweetener but was revered for its medicinal properties.

Yaksik holds a special place in Korean culture and tradition. It is typically prepared for the first full moon of the New Year, as per the lunar calendar, an occasion known as Jeongwol Daeboreum (정월대보름). But its popularity extends beyond this event. It is often served during other festive occasions like Korean New Year’s Day (Seollal), the Korean Harvest Festival (Chuseok), at wedding receptions, and even at 60th birthday parties.

For me, Yaksik is more than just a traditional dish; it brings back fond memories of my childhood, making it one of my favorite Korean desserts. Its versatile nature also makes it perfect for on-the-go breakfasts, snacks, or even as a thoughtful gift. I encourage you to try making this delightful dish at home and experience a taste of Korean tradition.

What is in Yaksik

As suggested by the lengthy title of this post, the star ingredients include sweet rice (specifically short grain glutinous rice), an assortment of dried fruits (for instance, jujubes and raisins or sultanas), and a variety of nuts (such as chestnuts and pine nuts).

However, contemporary versions have expanded to include other dried fruits and nuts such as cranberries, pecans, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.

The sauce adds depth to the dish, combining the sweetness of honey and dark brown sugar, the umami of soy sauce, the warmth of cinnamon powder, and the unique nutty flavor of sesame oil.

The result is a dish with a soft, sticky texture with the sweet and slightly salty flavor, enriched with healthy dried fruit and nuts. The aroma from the sesame oil adds a marvellous, heavenly sensation to the overall experience as well.

I have to warn you, though: if you aren’t accustomed to this type of Korean or Asian dessert, it might not be an instant favorite. However, give it some time – it has a way of growing on you quite quickly. Only time will tell. 🙂 Regardless, I hope you enjoy this sweet treat!

Note

• The recipe below was tested with a Cuckoo rice cooker and an Instant Pot, offering a shortcut for making Yaksik. You can use any programmable pressure cookers you have, or even a stovetop-based pressure cooker. The traditional method, using a steamer, can take 7-10 hours of prepping and cooking time. Rest assured, my recipe version tastes just as good as the traditional method! 🙂
• The shape of Yaksik can be round or square; it doesn’t have to be rectangular. You can even use any shape of cookie cutter (e.g., heart) to create your favorite Yaksik shapes. However, in this case, decoration should be done after the cutting.
• While Yaksik can be consumed cold (straight from the fridge), it tastes better if left out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to soften a bit. If it has been kept in the freezer, you can thaw it overnight in the fridge or use a microwave to reheat it.
• If you prefer a softer and stickier texture for your Yaksik, I recommend soaking the rice for an hour before cooking.

Ingredients for Yaksik (Yakbap)

Main

• 3 cups* sweet rice (short grain glutinous rice)
• 2 cups* water
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts
• 15 chestnuts (about 120g, 4.2 ounces) – skin peeled and cut into 3 or 4 smaller pieces (I used frozen ones, which are available from a Korean grocery store. You can use fresh ones if you can get them. A tinned version is also available from Korean grocery stores.)
• 1/4 cup raisins or sultanas
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 10 dried pitted jujubes(red dates) – rinsed and halved

Seasoning Sauce

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Decoration (Optional)

• 1 Tbsp pine nuts
• 2 to 3 dried pitted jujubes – vertically slice the jujube from the top, cutting only halfway down its radius; then roll it up and thinly slice it.

Measurement

• 1 cup* = 180 ml (using rice measuring cup).This isequivalent to 3/4 standard measuring cup.
• 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1/3 cup = 80 ml, 1/4 cup = 60 ml

How to Make Yaksik (Yakbap)

1. Combine the seasoning sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.

2. Rinse the sweet rice under cold running water a couple of times until the water runs clear. Drain the water and allow the rice to sit in the sieve for 10 to 20 minutes to ensure it’s fully drained.

3. Add the sweet rice, the water and the seasoning sauce into the rice cooker pot or Instant Pot and mix them well.

4. Add the nuts and dried fruit on top. Stir the ingredients thoroughly to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the pot.

5. (For Rice Cooker) Set the “multi steam” function for 35 mins and cook. – This is based on my cuckoo rice cooker setting. (For Instant Pot) Select the ‘rice’ setting and set it to ‘high pressure’. Make sure the steam release handle is in the ‘sealing’ position. The Instant Pot will automatically adjust the cooking duration. Upon completion of the cooking cycle (approximately 20 minutes), cautiously shift the steam release handle from ‘sealing’ to ‘venting’.

6. Prepare a medium-sized square or rectangular container for molding. I used a Pyrex container, but a baking tray works well too. Optionally, you can cover the mold with cling wrap to make it easier to remove the rice later. Once everything is cooked, gently stir and mix the rice, dried fruit, and nuts using a rice scoop. Then, transfer the rice mixture into your prepared mold. Press this mixture down firmly to make sure it’s packed tightly. Finally, allow the rice to cool in the mold for 20 to 30 minutes.

7. Tip the mold over the cutting board or gently lift the cling wrap to release the yaksik. If you wish, you can garnish the yaksik with pine nuts and sliced jujube, spacing them out generously. (Decoration is optional. Before you start decorating, envision the size of each cut portion to ensure there is enough room for both decoration and slicing. If you plan to make smaller food portions, you’ll need to spend more time on decoration.)

8. Slice the yaksik into your preferred size. (If you decorated, that will influence the size.)

9. Serve the yaksik. If not consuming immediately, wrap each piece individually in food wrap, store them in a container, and refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it for up to a few months.

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