Bindaetteok[Mung Bean Griddlecakes]

Made with ground mung beans, pork, mung bean sprouts and fiddleheads, Bindaetteok (mung bean griddlecakes) has a savory flavor and a crispy crunch. For an ideal cake with crunchy edges and a moist center, it should be shallow-fried with on a griddle over low heat. Alms for the Poor in Famine Years Bindaetteok is also called binjatteok. There are many stories on the origin of the dish. According to one, a Bindaetteok was a small griddlecake used as a prop to support the towering piles of pan-fried meats placed on the ancestral rites table, or Gyojasang (large traditional Korean dining table). As this griddlecake became a commonly eaten food among the poor, it became known as Binjatteok (‘Binja’ refers to the poor) and grew in size. Another story has it that in the old days, Jeongdong, a district of Seoul, was nicknamed Bindaegol for its plentiful Bindae (bedbugs). Coincidentally, a number of Binjatteok sellers lived along its streets. In this version of the story, binjatteok started to be called Bindaetteok, the compound of ‘bindae’ from Bindaegol and ‘-tteok’ from Binjatteok. There is also a theory that Bindaetteok originated from Bingjeo, a pan-fried mung bean dish. Over time, Bingjeo changed into Bingjatteok, and then Binjatteok, and finally settled as Bindaetteok. It is well known that in the Joseon era, in years following a bad harvest, influential families prepared Bindaetteok and handed them out to the poor homeless people gathered around Namdaemun (South Gate) in Seoul, crying out ‘Alms from a certain family!’ A Nutritious Fatigue Reliever With its golden brown color and savory aroma, a slice of piping hot Bindaetteok delights the palate. As a popular song reminds us with the line ‘If you don’t have money, just go home and cook yourself some Bindaetteok,’ this mung bean griddlecake was once regarded as a dish mainly eaten by the poor. It was especially popular in the northwestern regions of Korea. The dish, which was often cooked for guests, has become a favorite side dish for drinks. Mung beans, the main ingredient of Bindaetteok, are nutritious: it is rich in iron and carotene, and helps detoxify the body. When you feel physically or psychologically worn out, eating Bindaetteok is a great way to revive the spirit and boost energy. Bindaetteok tastes much better when enjoyed after dipping in soy sauce mixed with spring onions, garlic, crushed roasted sesame seeds and other flavorings.

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