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Kkultteok
Honey-filled rice cakes
꿀떡 · little rice-cake balls with a molten sesame syrup centre
Kkultteok, 'honey rice cake', are the bite-sized coloured balls lined up in the windows of Korean tteok shops and on every Chuseok and birthday tray; bite one and a sweet, runny syrup of brown sugar and sesame bursts out. Despite the name, the filling is usually sugar, which melts into a honey-like syrup as the dumplings cook. The cakes are boiled, cooled in water and glossed with sesame oil. The common mistake is using too much filling or a thin dough, so the balls burst in the pot; keep the wall about 5 mm thick and seal well. Rice cakes are chewy and sticky, a known choking risk: cut them into small pieces for young children and older people and eat them sitting down. The filling is very hot straight from the pot, so let them cool before giving them to children. Chef's tip: let the boiled balls sit 1 minute in ice water; the shell firms up and the syrup inside turns fully liquid.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz wet-milled short-grain rice flourfrozen Korean maepssal garu, thawed; if it is unsalted, add the salt
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup boiling waterabout
- 2 tsp pumpkin, mugwort or strawberry powder (optional)for coloured batches
For the filling
- 2 ⅛ oz dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seedscrushed
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
To finish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz wet-milled short-grain rice flour and ½ tsp salt, add ¾ cup boiling water gradually and knead for 5 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Divide and knead 2 tsp pumpkin, mugwort or strawberry powder into portions if using.
10 minStep 2: Mix 2 ⅛ oz dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon for the filling.
Step 3: Pinch off 15 g pieces, roll into balls and press a deep cup into each with your thumb. Add ½ teaspoon of filling, pinch closed firmly and roll smooth. Keep them covered.
20 minStep 4: Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Drop in the balls in batches and stir gently so they don't stick. When they float, cook for 1–2 minutes more.
5 minStep 5: Lift into a bowl of iced water for 1 minute, then drain.
Step 6: Toss with 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and serve once the syrup centre has cooled to warm. Best eaten the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kkultteok take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of dark brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
- What can I use instead of toasted sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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