Yakshik (Korean Sweet Rice Dessert)

Yakshik is traditional Korean sweet rice dessert with jujube, chestnut, and seeds.

Yakshik (Korean Sweet Rice Dessert)

Sweet sticky rice cooked with jujube, chestnuts, honey, and soy sauce. This classic Korean dessert turns perfectly chewy in the Instant Pot and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Naturally dairy free and great for Seollal or make-ahead sharing.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Korean

Diet Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Instant Pot yakshik, jujube, korean dessert, Korean sweet rice, seollal, sticky rice, sweet rice dessert, yakshik

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 139

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cup (260 g) Korean sweet rice (chapssal)
2 cup (480 mk) water
14-16 frozen whole chestnut or canned (drained)
10 dried jujube
1/2 cup (110 g) dark brown sugar or honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce optional
1/4 tsp (0.5 g) cinnamon
2 tbsp (20 g) pine nuts
3 tbsp (30 g) roasted pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

Instructions

Rinse the sweet rice several times, then soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Cut the chestnuts into halves or quarters, depending on size.
Remove the flesh from the dried jujubes and set it aside. Collect the seeds and place them in a small pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until the water turns dark amber. Strain out the seeds and reserve the jujube stock.
Pour the jujube stock into the Instant Pot. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), honey or brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
Add the drained rice, chestnuts, and jujube flesh. Mix gently. Close the lid, seal the vent, and cook on the Instant Pot rice setting, or cook on Manual for 12 minutes.
When the cooking cycle ends, quick release the steam. Open the lid and add pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss lightly.
Grease a 9-inch square pan with a thin coat of sesame oil. Transfer the rice mixture to the pan and press it firmly with a spatula. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cooled, turn the yakshik out onto a cutting board. Cut into bars and garnish with jujube flowers or extra seeds if you like.

Notes

Alternate Cooking Methods

Rice Cooker Method:
Soak sweet rice for 6 to 8 hours. Combine the soaked rice with the sauce mixture, jujube, and chestnuts in the rice cooker. Cook on the regular rice setting for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sesame oil before cooling.

Steamer Method:
Soak sweet rice for 6 to 8 hours. Steam the rice for 40 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, jujube, and chestnuts, then steam again for 30 minutes. Mix in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sesame oil before cooling.

Nutrition