Preparation time: 75 minutes
Songpyeon are Korean rice cakes, traditionally served during Chuseok, also known as Korean Thanksgiving.
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
- 300g homemade rice flour
- 80ml boiling water
Filling:
- Roasted sesame seeds
- Honey/sugar
- Chestnuts
- Bean paste
Other tools:
- Blender
- Steaming pan
- Pine needles
PREPARATION
Soak washed rice in water for 4 to 5 hours. Drain the rice and make sure there is no water left. Grind the rice in a powerful blender and add a pinch of salt. Combine the rice flour and hot water and start kneading until it becomes a dough. Knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands.
Filling
You can make different kinds of fillings for Songpyeon:
- Grinded sesame seeds with sugar/honey and a little bit of salt.
- Boiled chestnuts
- Bean paste
Shaping
Divide the dough in smaller pieces and turn them into balls. Press in the middle of a dough ball to create a gap and put the desired filling into the dough ball. Pinch the ball to close it and knead it into the shape of a half moon.
Steaming
Boil water in a steaming pan. Place pine needles on the bottom of the pan. This gives the Songpyeon a distinct aroma. Steam for 30 minutes and leave in the pan for 10 minutes without the lid afterwards. Place the Songpyeon in cold water to remove the pine needles and take them out right away. Put a little bit of sesame oil on the Songpyeon so they do not stick to each other and look glossy.