(knife hitting chopping board)
(knife hitting chopping board)

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

- Hi everybody!
- Hi everybody!

Today, let's make something special,
Today, let's make something special,

A Korean cooking ingredient, rice syrup.
A Korean cooking ingredient, rice syrup.

In Korean, Ssal-jocheong.
In Korean, Ssal-jocheong.

Are you curious about how to make Korean rice syrup?
Are you curious about how to make Korean rice syrup?

How many times have I told you "Oh, add rice syrup."
How many times have I told you "Oh, add rice syrup."

"Why does Maangchi love rice syrup?"
"Why does Maangchi love rice syrup?"

Because it makes food kind of shiny
Because it makes food kind of shiny

and also it's less sweet than sugar.
and also it's less sweet than sugar.

Koreans have been using this rice syrup
Koreans have been using this rice syrup

for centuries and centuries.
for centuries and centuries.

Before sugar came to Korea, our ancestors used this.
Before sugar came to Korea, our ancestors used this.

You can make it at home.
You can make it at home.

All you need is only two ingredients,
All you need is only two ingredients,

rice and barley malt powder.
rice and barley malt powder.

I will show you how to make this
I will show you how to make this

from the beginning to the end.
from the beginning to the end.

So, I made in advance,
So, I made in advance,

made with five cups of rice.
made with five cups of rice.

This is rice syrup, you see.
This is rice syrup, you see.

Hmm, (chuckles) wow!
Hmm, (chuckles) wow!

I love this.
I love this.

Home-made rice syrup is very special
Home-made rice syrup is very special

because it's really really tasty.
because it's really really tasty.

So, I just made this
So, I just made this

in advance to show you what it looks like.
in advance to show you what it looks like.

Let's get started.
Let's get started.

With 5 cups of rice, a little more than 1 kilogram.
With 5 cups of rice, a little more than 1 kilogram.

we make 3 1/2 cup rice syrup.
we make 3 1/2 cup rice syrup.

Cool, isn't it?
Cool, isn't it?

First, let's wash.
First, let's wash.

(tap water running)
(tap water running)

Wash like this.
Wash like this.

(tap water running).
(tap water running).

Rinse and drain, rinse and drain a couple of times
Rinse and drain, rinse and drain a couple of times

until the water runs very clear.
until the water runs very clear.

Now the water is very clear.
Now the water is very clear.

And pour out water as much as you can.
And pour out water as much as you can.

Okay, this is enough.
Okay, this is enough.

Add 5 cups of water.
Add 5 cups of water.

And then cover.
And then cover.

I'm going to soak this rice for 1 hour.
I'm going to soak this rice for 1 hour.

One hour passed.
One hour passed.

See?
See?

Rice is just white, kind of opaque
Rice is just white, kind of opaque

and turn on the heat.
and turn on the heat.

Over medium high heat.
Over medium high heat.

I cook this for 12 minutes,
I cook this for 12 minutes,

Stir this with my wooden spoon.
Stir this with my wooden spoon.

And, turn down the heat to low.
And, turn down the heat to low.

Then I'm going to simmer for ten minutes over low heat.
Then I'm going to simmer for ten minutes over low heat.

This is one of my cookbook recipes
This is one of my cookbook recipes

Actually I have two versions
Actually I have two versions

to make rice syrup.
to make rice syrup.

First one uses a heavy pot.
First one uses a heavy pot.

Second one is just using a rice cooker.
Second one is just using a rice cooker.

If you have a rice cooker with a warm function
If you have a rice cooker with a warm function

then you can make this rice syrup so easily.
then you can make this rice syrup so easily.

But the reason I use this method
But the reason I use this method

is that it's a more traditional way, besides
is that it's a more traditional way, besides

I can also make more, a larger amount.
I can also make more, a larger amount.

Okay, rice is well done.
Okay, rice is well done.

I will turn off,
I will turn off,

very hot.
very hot.

And then, this is 8 cups of water.
And then, this is 8 cups of water.

Add 8 cups of water.
Add 8 cups of water.

This is a little burnt, but it's okay.
This is a little burnt, but it's okay.

Really hot rice and 8 cups of cold water.
Really hot rice and 8 cups of cold water.

What do you think this temperature will be like?
What do you think this temperature will be like?

It's going to be a little
It's going to be a little

hot, but not too hot.
hot, but not too hot.

Around 140 Fahrenheit.
Around 140 Fahrenheit.

This is my barley malt powder.
This is my barley malt powder.

Let's add 2 cups.
Let's add 2 cups.

One,
One,

two
two

and then mix.
and then mix.

Mix together, you see,
Mix together, you see,

really thick stuff.
really thick stuff.

Let's see what's the temperature?
Let's see what's the temperature?

Okay, around 140 Fahrenheit.
Okay, around 140 Fahrenheit.

There is no heat now, but this is very hot,
There is no heat now, but this is very hot,

140 Fahrenheit, but I'm going to let this sit here
140 Fahrenheit, but I'm going to let this sit here

for 1 hour.
for 1 hour.

After 1 hour passes,
After 1 hour passes,

the temperature is going down
the temperature is going down

then I'm going to turn it up again and stir.
then I'm going to turn it up again and stir.

We've got to ferment this
We've got to ferment this

so we got to maintain the temperature around
so we got to maintain the temperature around

between 120 to 140 Fahrenheit,
between 120 to 140 Fahrenheit,

less than 150 F.
less than 150 F.

If this is boiling,
If this is boiling,

the enzyme is going to all get killed
the enzyme is going to all get killed

so that we cannot ferment the rice.
so that we cannot ferment the rice.

So ferment for 6 hours or 7 hours
So ferment for 6 hours or 7 hours

until everything's nicely liquified.
until everything's nicely liquified.

This powder, when I taste,
This powder, when I taste,

nothing, nothing sweet,
nothing, nothing sweet,

but this barley malt has an enzyme called amylase.
but this barley malt has an enzyme called amylase.

This enzyme converts this starch into kind of sweet thing.
This enzyme converts this starch into kind of sweet thing.

This is so amazing!
This is so amazing!

Just mixing together,
Just mixing together,

fermenting, and hours later,
fermenting, and hours later,

it tastes really really sweet.
it tastes really really sweet.

So, I fermented it for 1 hour.
So, I fermented it for 1 hour.

Look at this.
Look at this.

See it's really thicker.
See it's really thicker.

Thicker and
Thicker and

there's not much liquid, right?
there's not much liquid, right?

So now you see? It's around 133 Fahrenheit
So now you see? It's around 133 Fahrenheit

I'm going to turn on the heat.
I'm going to turn on the heat.

Over medium high heat,
Over medium high heat,

for around a couple of minutes
for around a couple of minutes

I would just occasionally like stir this, like this.
I would just occasionally like stir this, like this.

I wanna have an even temperature.
I wanna have an even temperature.

Now I'll turn it off.
Now I'll turn it off.

If you don't have a kitchen thermometer
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer

just heat it on medium heat, for 3 minutes.
just heat it on medium heat, for 3 minutes.

I will check this out 1 hour later.
I will check this out 1 hour later.

Repeat this 5 more times.
Repeat this 5 more times.

Let's check every hour for the next five hours.
Let's check every hour for the next five hours.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

You see, this mixture is now really thin.
You see, this mixture is now really thin.

Squish this and you will see,
Squish this and you will see,

it's like wet paper because all this starch
it's like wet paper because all this starch

was just drawn into this liquid.
was just drawn into this liquid.

We need only liquid.
We need only liquid.

Let's strain this.
Let's strain this.

So this is my large bowl; it used to be my old rice cooker.
So this is my large bowl; it used to be my old rice cooker.

And hemp cloth.
And hemp cloth.

But you guys can use also cheese cloth.
But you guys can use also cheese cloth.

I will pour this into here.
I will pour this into here.

Stir this, so that this liquid goes through this.
Stir this, so that this liquid goes through this.

I'm going to squeeze out.
I'm going to squeeze out.

I still have half of it here. Let's squeeze it.
I still have half of it here. Let's squeeze it.

Squeeze tightly as much as you can.
Squeeze tightly as much as you can.

We should not waste this precious liquid.
We should not waste this precious liquid.

It looks like some wet paper.
It looks like some wet paper.

(tap water running)
(tap water running)

I cleaned my pot.
I cleaned my pot.

Gather all these edges to seal tightly
Gather all these edges to seal tightly

and squeeze.
and squeeze.

So, just throw this away
So, just throw this away

or if you have plants,
or if you have plants,

you can just make a kind of fertilizer.
you can just make a kind of fertilizer.

Sweet liquid, and a little sticky.
Sweet liquid, and a little sticky.

My hands are really sticky, (laughs).
My hands are really sticky, (laughs).

Medium high heat
Medium high heat

and I'm going to keep boiling
and I'm going to keep boiling

until this amount is reduced to 3 1/2 cup or
until this amount is reduced to 3 1/2 cup or

4 cups.
4 cups.

You don't need to cover this.
You don't need to cover this.

Just let it boil, boil down.
Just let it boil, boil down.

Now, I boiled this 80 minutes, eight-zero minutes.
Now, I boiled this 80 minutes, eight-zero minutes.

So you see all the bubbles, small bubbles.
So you see all the bubbles, small bubbles.

When can I stop boiling?
When can I stop boiling?

Bubbles are now a little larger, larger size.
Bubbles are now a little larger, larger size.

Just stir this.
Just stir this.

Now, really nice because the bubbles
Now, really nice because the bubbles

are a little like medium-sized bubbles
are a little like medium-sized bubbles

and I turn it off.
and I turn it off.

Lift your wooden spoon, if it's flowing very nicely and
Lift your wooden spoon, if it's flowing very nicely and

dropping very smoothly,
dropping very smoothly,

And then eventually
And then eventually

there's some leftover here,
there's some leftover here,

I think it's the right density.
I think it's the right density.

If you keep boiling this,
If you keep boiling this,

it gets harder and harder, and
it gets harder and harder, and

basically it becomes candy.
basically it becomes candy.

This is my rice cake.
This is my rice cake.

I just toast this and
I just toast this and

dip it in the rice syrup and eat.
dip it in the rice syrup and eat.

It tastes so good.
It tastes so good.

Every Korean knows the taste.
Every Korean knows the taste.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

Gorgeous!
Gorgeous!

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

Let's see? Ooh, hot!
Let's see? Ooh, hot!

Let me taste!
Let me taste!

So delicious!
So delicious!

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

Sweet but not like honey.
Sweet but not like honey.

Honey is very sweet.
Honey is very sweet.

This is less sweet, but it's very earthy.
This is less sweet, but it's very earthy.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

I'm so happy now
I'm so happy now

because I have a lot of rice syrup.
because I have a lot of rice syrup.

Now, I can make all kinds of stuff
Now, I can make all kinds of stuff

with my rice syrup.
with my rice syrup.

Today, we made rice syrup, Ssal-jocheong in Korean.
Today, we made rice syrup, Ssal-jocheong in Korean.

Enjoy my recipe.
Enjoy my recipe.

See you next time.
See you next time.

Bye.
Bye.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)