Half-moon Rice Cake (Sesame Honey Filled Steamed Rice Cake)
Kkul songpyeon are traditional half-moon rice cakes shaped by hand from rice flour dough and filled with a paste of finely ground toasted sesame seeds, honey, and dark brown sugar, then steamed over a bed of fresh pine needles. Grinding the sesame seeds fine enough to form a cohesive mixture with honey and sugar is important -- the oil-rich nuttiness and dense sweetness bind together into a smooth filling that turns moist and paste-like as steam penetrates the rice dough during cooking. Arranging pine needles at the bottom of the steamer imparts a faint resinous, woody fragrance to the surface of each rice cake after 15 minutes of steaming, layering over the natural grain aroma of the rice flour dough. After steaming, a quick rinse in cold water stops carry-over cooking, and a thin brush of sesame oil gives each songpyeon a glossy sheen while preventing them from sticking together. Shaping songpyeon together as a family at Chuseok is one of the most recognizable autumn traditions in Korea, and the saying that beautifully shaped songpyeon foretells a beautiful daughter remains widely repeated today.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Combine rice flour and salt, then add hot water to make a smooth dough.
- 2
Grind sesame seeds and mix with honey and brown sugar for the filling.
- 3
Portion dough into small balls, press the center, and add filling.
- 4
Fold into half-moons and seal the edges firmly.
- 5
Line the steamer with pine needles and steam songpyeon for 15 minutes.
- 6
Rinse briefly in cold water, drain, and brush lightly with sesame oil.
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Nutrition (per serving)
Goes Well With
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