Korean rice cake (tteok)

Korean rice cake (tteok)

　　During the autumn and winter seasons, the Korean ethnic group often makes small square rice cakes (also called "tteok"), the most common of which is "glutinous rice tteok," made from refined glutinous rice. As the Lunar New Year approaches, every household prepares a large amount of glutinous rice tteok to share with neighbors and relatives. From this custom comes the saying “celebrate the New Year by eating tteok.” Tteok is an essential gift during festivals, especially when giving presents to one’s maternal family. It is said that tteok carries meanings of sincerity, love, and filial piety.

　　Tteok is made by soaking and steaming glutinous rice, then pounding it on a cutting board into a cake-like form, filled with red bean paste and coated with white sugar, resulting in a sweet and delicious treat.

　　The process involves four steps: washing, steaming, pounding, and slicing. First, the glutinous rice is washed and soaked in clean water for over ten hours (if in a hurry, warm water can be used for a shorter time), until the grains can be easily crushed between fingers. The rice is then drained. It is steamed over high heat in a steamer basket for about half an hour, until it reaches the right firmness. The steamed glutinous rice is placed on a cutting board and pounded with a wooden mallet while being turned over. The pounder should start gently to avoid splattering rice grains, while the turner should wet their hands and continually wipe the board; otherwise, the tteok will stick and become hard to flip. The goal is to pound the rice evenly—ideally, until the grains are no longer visible. The resulting cake is then cut into appropriate pieces and coated with red bean paste or cooked soybean flour before serving. Those with a sweet tooth may dip it in sugar, while those who prefer salt can eat it with a sprinkle of salt. This type of tteok is stickier and more flavorful than regular rice cakes, with an exceptionally fragrant taste.