Yeot

Yeot is a delightful Korean traditional treat known as hangwa, available in various forms such as syrup, taffy, or candy. Crafted from ingredients including steamed rice, glutinous rice, sorghum, corn, sweet potatoes, or mixed grains, yeot undergoes a light fermentation process before being boiled in a large pot called a "sot."

When boiled for a shorter duration, it produces jocheong, a sticky syrup ideal for cooking, coating other hangwa, or even as a dipping sauce. Extended boiling results in gaeng yeot, a taffy-like substance that can be stretched and mixed with ingredients like beans, nuts, sesame, or seeds.

Yeot comes in many varieties depending on the ingredients used. For example, Ssallyeot is made from rice, Hobakyeot incorporates pumpkin, and Hwanggollyeot combines rice, corn, and malt. Additional varieties include Kkaeyeot, Dangnyeot, Kkwongnyeot, and Dwaejigogiyeot. Historically, yeot was even considered a tonic for the sick and boasted unique regional specialties throughout Korea.

Interestingly, the phrase "eat yeot" has taken on a vulgar meaning in modern Korean, comparable to saying "fuck you" in English. This phrase gained notoriety from a 1964 middle-school exam scandal, where angry parents protested by holding up improperly made yeot and shouting "eat yeot" at officials. Additionally, the raw yeot's phallic shape has long served as a euphemism for the penis, dating back at least to the sixteenth century.