Tadpole-shaped Noodle Maker

The term “olchaengi” refers to corn in Gangwon dialect, and noodle made of corn is called olchaengi noodle. The tool for making olchaengi noodle consists of a frame and pressing plate. A hexagonal frame is fixed in between two wooden sticks, and multiple holes are punctured on the iron plate at the bottom, which is occasionally made from a flattened can. Olchaengi muk, or corn jelly, is made by boiling the sediment of fresh ground corn kernels to make a muk, and the uncongealed muk is poured onto the frame before being hardened in the shape of a tadpole (which is also called “olchaengi” in Korean). Thin strands are called olchaengi noodle, while those produced from a muk frame with larger holes are called olchaengi muk.