Steamed White Rice Cake (Soft Crumbly Korean Traditional Rice Dessert)
Quick answer
Baekseolgi is a white steamed rice cake made entirely from non-glutinous rice flour, with modest sugar and salt added.
What makes this special
- Sifted non-glutinous rice flour creates the light, crumbly texture of traditional Baekseolgi rice cakes.
- Sifted two to three times for a light, crumbly crumb
- Moisture level checked by hand: clumps but crumbles at a touch
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Mix 300g non-glutinous rice flour evenly with 2g salt and 45g sugar first.
- 2 Squeeze a small handful of the flour mixture, then touch it lightly.
- 3 Break up any lumps by hand, then sift through a coarse sieve twice, or three times if possible.
Baekseolgi is a white steamed rice cake made entirely from non-glutinous rice flour, with modest sugar and salt added. The ingredient list is short, which means technique determines the result. Sifting the flour two to three times builds air into the fine particles; that incorporated air produces the characteristic crumbly, soft texture after steaming. Skip the sifting and the cake steams dense and coarse. Moisture level is checked by hand: the flour should clump when squeezed but fall apart with a light touch. Too dry and the inside comes out powdery even after steaming; too wet and the surface turns sticky. The steamer must be fully boiling before the flour goes in, and strong steam maintained continuously for twenty to twenty-five minutes without lifting the lid. A cotton cloth laid under the lid catches condensation before it can drip onto the surface - those drops create wet patches that spoil the even white finish. Sugar is kept low, letting the clean, neutral sweetness of the rice come through. The cake firms up as it cools, so it is best eaten warm. Dried jujube slices or pumpkin seeds pressed into the surface before steaming add color to the otherwise plain white top.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Mix 300g non-glutinous rice flour evenly with 2g salt and 45g sugar first.
Do not pour in the 90ml water all at once; sprinkle it in stages and rub with your fingertips until the flour feels evenly damp.
- 2Prep
Squeeze a small handful of the flour mixture, then touch it lightly.
It should hold together when pressed but break apart right away; if it stays powdery, add only a tiny extra splash of water.
- 3Step
Break up any lumps by hand, then sift through a coarse sieve twice, or three times if possible.
This works air between the grains, which prevents a dense, rough cake after steaming.
- 4Step
Line the steamer with the steamer cloth and add the sifted flour in a 2 to 3cm layer.
Do not press it down; level only the surface so strong steam can pass through evenly.
- 5Control
Pit and thinly slice the 2 jujubes, then scatter them with 15g pumpkin seeds over the surface.
Set the steamer over fully boiling water and steam on high heat for 20 to 25 minutes without opening the lid.
- 6Prep
Turn off the heat and rest the cake for 3 minutes with the lid still closed.
Let the cloth catch condensation first, then remove the cake, release the harsh steam briefly, and slice while still warm.
After the steps
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Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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