For South Koreans rice is not just a national dish but also a favorite dessert. Rice cake is one of the most popular desserts. Koreans call it the sticky cake or ‘Tteok'. Tourists and residents can find many shops that sell several kinds of rice cakes in Seoul and in other Korean Cities. However, not long ago, rice cakes were only served during specific seasons. It was a customary dish that was served in weddings, ceremonial occasions, national day celebrations and birthdays in South Korea. Koreans also have it as soup during New Years Eve. It is served in different shapes, with diverse ingredients and colors depending on the region. Rice cakes were fashioned decades ago and are a part of several Asian regions particularly Japan, China and Southeast Asia. In fact, according to ‘Mobile Cuisine' the first rice cakes were created in South Asia. It is a great treat for those trying to be healthy. A serving of 4 oz of one serving has around 235 calories. 87 percent of these calories are carbohydrates, whereas, 4 percent of these calories are fat. Tourists who are interested in its history could get more information about rice cakes by visiting the Tteok Museum which is part of the institute of Traditional Korean Food in Seoul. Many Asians and South Koreans celebrate national Rice Cake Day on 29th of November. ‘Tteok' in Korea are mainly made from rice, flour, water and other ingredients. Some people may include other flavors to the ingredient such as mung bean or red bean. Depending on the ingredients there are several types of Rice Cakes such as steamed, pounded, shaped, pan-fried, ‘Yakshik' and plenty others. For Instance, ‘Yakshik' ingredients include steamed rice mixed with chestnutd, jujube and gingili which could be used as a powder. You can also add cinnamon powder. Saudi Gazette has picked an exclusive recipe for its readers. Gyeongdan Ingredients: 2 cups of sweet rice flour 1 cup of boiling water 1 or 2 cups of flour 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder Salt, sugar, brown sugar 1 cup of red beans Black sesame seeds powder Mugwort powder Toasted yellow soy bean powder. Method: You can use three separate bowls for each powder. Place red beans in a bowl and mix with four cups of water. Heat the mixture for an hour. For the first 10 minutes use a high temperature and let it simmer for the next 50 minutes. When the red beans are fully cooked remove the water and smash the mixture with a spoon. Before setting it aside, add a teaspoon of cinnamon, salt and a cup of brown sugar. In the second bowl you will be preparing the black sesame seeds. Mix a half-cup of seeds with water. Heat the seeds after that using a pan until the seeds become crispy and then grind them with a coffee grinder when they are cold. Add seeds to the bowl where you will mix it with 2 teaspoons of sugar and some salt. In the last bowl mix half a cup of toasted soybean powder with two teaspoons of sugar and some salt. Then mix half cup of mugwort powder with the same amount of salt and sugar that you used while mixing the seeds. Now you should start preparing the rice dough by mixing two cups of sweet rice powder with two teaspoons of sugar, salt and hot water. After you finish mixing it with your hands put it in a plastic bag. After awhile take it out of the bag and start cutting it into small shapely pieces. Now you should roll the pieces with your hands and then make a hole in the middle of the ball. When you finish rolling all the pieces put them in a plate. Then, place them in boiling water for up to five minutes. Then place the rice balls into cold water. Finally, after a few minutes you can roll the balls in the different powders that were prepared at the beginning. It is now ready to serve.
