Yaksik

Instructions

1. Rinse 80 g of glutinous rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear, then cover generously with fresh cold water and soak for at least 5 hours or overnight. Drain in a sieve for 20 minutes so the surface water runs off.
2. Meanwhile prepare the garnish: cut 4 peeled chestnuts in half. Roll 3 dried jujubes under your palm, cut the flesh away from the stones in a strip and slice it into 5 mm pieces. Pick over 1 tbsp of pine nuts and remove any dark tips.
3. Line a steamer basket with a damp cotton cloth, spread the drained rice in an even layer and fold the cloth loosely over the top. Steam over a hard rolling boil for 30 minutes, sprinkling the rice with 2 tbsp of water and turning it once at the halfway point, until every grain is translucent and squashes easily between the fingers.
4. Tip the steaming-hot rice into a bowl and immediately stir in 25 g of dark brown sugar, 1 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil, 0.25 tsp of ground cinnamon and 1 pinch of fine salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until the sugar has melted and the rice is a uniform tea-brown; the heat of the rice must do the dissolving.