한국의 디저트 (Korean desserts series) : 떡 (Ddeok/rice cake)

Hey guys :D

It's 2nd post of series, KNOREA.

So, we are going to get known about Korean desserts

: 떡[ddeok/rice cake]

Here's the Menu that you've already seen.

So, Let's start~ from 떡 catergory.

가래떡 : Rice cake in bar shape [Garae-ddeok]

It's original and normal version, kind of ddeok.

it doesn't have any flavor, only steamed rice flavor.

So, when we eat it, we always eat it with honey or salt&sesame oil.

가래떡 is also used when it cooked in 떡볶이(Tteokbokki) with it sliced.

Or 가래떡 in small version, :p

시루떡 : Steamed rice cake with adzuki beans [Siru-ddeok]

In korea, mostly, 시루떡 symbolizes "La fete".

Because since past, Korean people has made it when there was a party or festival.

So, also in this time, you can see it in birthday party (in fact, for elders :D)

and in big festival like 개막식 (Gaemaksik / Opening ceremony).

Moreover.. I think it's just a korean custom.

When you move in new village, especially new apartment,

Korean people gives it to neighbor as present.

I don't know why we should prepare only 시루떡.

Just korean custom lol..

인절미 : Mashed steamed rice in cake with bean flour [injeolmi]

As you can see, it is covered by bean flour.

Bean flour is 콩가루[Kong-garu] in korean.

Garu means flour, and Kong, means actually bean.

Before we cover it in bean flour,

we mashed the steamed rice used with 떡메 (Ddeokme / a rice cake mallet).

So, Now you can see how korean people mashes steamed rice.

인절미 means only kind of ddeok in this version, made used by 떡메.

Because of Mashing, The Starch of rice is changed into like maltose.

Therefore, It's getting sweeter than the steamed rice itself.

송편 : Half-moon shaped ddeok with honey [Songpyeon]

Songpyeon is soooo popular to everyone, but mostly the kids.

First, we make it in half-moon shaped.

then, we add some sugar into 송편.

So, when it is steamed, we eat it.

Making shape first, is different with injeolmi and siru-ddeok's recipe.

Sometimes, it has not only honey (melted sugar) : Sweet adzuki bean paste and sesame.

Recently, some people makes it adding chocolate into the 송편.

Probably, for young people :D

경단 : Boiled rice cake [Gyeongdan]

It's my favorite Ddeok ever.

In many ddeok's recipe, the steaming is the most important.

But, on the other hand, 경단 is made as it boiled.

So, I think because of boiling, 경단 is more soft and tastes sweeter.

Most of 경단, is made with Sweet adzuki bean.

(it called 단팥[Danpat]. 단[dan] = sweet / 팥[pat] = adzuki beans)

<!!> How to make 단팥?

: 단팥 is made by boiling with lots of sugar.

It looks like Jam in adzuki beans version.

Nowadays, Korean people recreates Ddeok so modern for that everyone can enjoy it.

There are modern 경단, with chocolate&peanut(left) and strawberry flovors(right).

When you don't like 팥[pat/adzuki beans], it will be a great solution.

백설기 : Steamed white rice cake [Baekseolgi]

When you make siru-ddeok without adzuki beans, It isn't Siru-ddeok.

Exactly, we call it 백설기.

백설 means actually "White like snow".

So, in korea, The snow white is called 백설공주[Baekseol gongju]

공주 is a princess.

You can taste steamed ddeok's own flavor through eating 백설기.

무지개떡 : Rainbow ddeok [Mujigae-ddeok]

I think you thought that "What's the rainbow ddeok? so odd!"

무지개 is actually rainbow in korean.

But, it is never associated with rainbow.

Just their visual, looks like rainbow as having many colors,

So it is called 무지개떡.

I think you guys can't explain

"What's the differences of taste between 백설기 and 무지개떡?"

You know, also, I can't do that lol...

just different colors, That's all.

But, when you see the Baekseolgi in many colors, you should say "Oh, It's 무지개떡."

How was that?

Did you get an interesting information?

I hope that it can help you, enjoying Knorea.

Thanks for reading :D