Tteok[Rice Cakes]

The old Korean expression, “Tteok (rice cakes) instead of Bap (steamed rice)” implies how tasty Tteok is. According to another old saying “No matter how much rice one eats, there is always room for Tteok.” Tteok was never left out on holidays or festive occasions, but it was also an everyday food made with available seasonal ingredients Bite-sized Gyeongdan Balls Gyeongdan refers to small balls of rice cake prepared by mixing sweet rice powder with boiling water, shaping the dough into balls about the size of chestnuts, boiling them in water, and coating them with different kinds of Gomul (dressing powder). The small, round shape is cute, and thanks to the Gomul preventing it from drying out, Gyeongdan remains soft for a while. Chalsusu-gyeongdan, made with glutinous sorghum powder in celebration of a new-born baby’s 100th day or first birthday, is coated with mashed red beans in the belief that the red color wards off evil spirits. Sweet Kkultteok: One is Never Enough In Korea, the expression ‘Gulttukgatta’ is commonly used to mean ‘eagerly wishing for something.’ Here Gulttuk is derived from Kkultteok (rice cake filled with honey). This is originally from the dialect of the Gyeongsang Provinces and is an onomatopoetic word that mimics the sound like swallowing Kkultteok. In the past, when food was scarce, Kkultteok was the food of dreams. The desire for Kkultteok could be so great that when people were longing desperately for something, they used the expression ‘Kkultteokgatta’ to mean ‘I want it as much as Kkultteok.’ Yaksik: Made of Healthy Ingredients Yaksik is a seasonal delicacy traditionally eaten on Jeongwol Daeboreum, a Korean holiday which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Yaksik derives its name from the use of honey among its ingredients. In olden days, honey was often considered to be a medicine, which explains the word ‘Yak’ meaning ‘medicine.’ Thus pan-fried Gochujang mixed with honey was called Yakgochujang, while deep-fried honey cookies were named Yakgwa. Due to the healthy ingredients such as sweet rice, chestnuts, jujubes, pine nuts and honey, Yaksik was traditionally perceived to be a great health food. Pan-fried Hwajeon Embellished with Flower Petals Hwajeon (sweet pan-fried rice cake with flower petals) is made by mixing sweet rice powder with boiling water, shaping the dough into small balls, arranging flower petals on top, and pan-frying them in a small amount of oil. Depending on what edible flowers are in season, Jindallae-hwajeon was made with azaleas in the spring, Jangmi-hwajeon with rose petals in the summer, and Gukhwajeon with chrysanthemum flowers in the fall. During the Joseon era, the queen would go on an outing to the Biwon Garden of Changdeok Palace on every third day of the third lunar month (Samjidnal). Alongside a stream known as the Okryucheon, round Hwajeons would be made with sweet rice dough and decorated with azalea petals. This traditional custom was called Hwajeonnori, literally meaning ‘merrymaking with Hwajeon.’ Commoners also enjoyed their own Hwajeonnori.

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