Mugwort and Nut Steamed Rice Cake (Seolgi Tteok)
A Delicious Steamed Rice Cake with Mugwort and Nuts, Perfect as a Snack for Adults or a Thoughtful Gift!
I had a lot of leftover rice flour, ground with mugwort, from Chuseok, so I decided to make Seolgi Tteok today. I went through a phase where I was obsessed with making traditional Korean rice cakes, researching recipes from old texts, and I felt so excited to make Seolgi Tteok again after so long! Anyway, by adding nuts and various fillings, I’ve created a wonderfully delicious Seolgi Tteok. It’s perfect for sharing or enjoying yourself!
Ingredients (for 1 small round mold)- 4 cups rice flour (ground with mugwort)
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 3-4 Tbsp water
- 3-4 Tbsp sweetened red bean paste (patbae-gi)
- 3-4 Tbsp sweetened green bean paste (wandoobae-gi)
- 100g walnuts
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
To enhance the nutty flavor of the walnuts for your Seolgi Tteok, lightly toast them before using. Place them in an oven or a dry pan and toast for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Step 2
When you have rice ground at a mill, you can ask them to add a pinch of salt for seasoning. Mix this salted rice flour with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3-4 tablespoons of water.
Step 3
It’s important to mix the sugar and water into the rice flour by rubbing the mixture with your hands. This prevents the water from clumping and keeps the flour texture loose and crumbly.
Step 4
A good way to check the consistency of the rice flour mixture is to grab a handful and squeeze it. If it holds its shape when you release it, the texture is just right for making tteok.
Step 5
Now, to ensure a smooth and fluffy texture without lumps, sift the rice flour through a fine-mesh sieve. This step is crucial for achieving a perfectly steamed Seolgi Tteok.
Step 6
Use a sieve with larger holes rather than a very fine one. This will allow the rice flour to pass through easily. Using a very fine sieve can be strenuous and time-consuming!
Step 7
Once the rice flour has been sifted, place it into your steaming mold. Fill it to the desired level, but avoid packing it down too tightly.
Step 8
Finely chop the toasted walnuts and add them to the rice flour mixture. The walnuts will add a delightful crunch and nutty aroma to the tteok.
Step 9
I used commercially prepared sweetened red bean paste (patbae-gi) and green bean paste (wandoobae-gi). If you’re using raw beans, you’ll need to boil them first, then cook them down with plenty of sugar and a little salt until slightly syrupy. Add these to the rice flour.
Step 10
Now, gently mix the rice flour with the prepared nuts, red bean paste, and green bean paste. Ensure the fillings are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
Step 11
Since I used a shallow round mold, I lined the sides with Teflon sheet cut to size to extend the height. Sprinkling a little sugar on the bottom of the mold before adding the flour helps prevent the base from becoming soggy from the steam.
Step 12
Pour all the prepared rice flour mixture into the mold. Make sure the top layer is flat and completely covered with rice flour, hiding the fillings beneath for a neat finish.
Step 13
Place the filled mold into a preheated steamer with boiling water. Cover with the lid and steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let it steam for another 15 minutes to allow it to fully cook through.
Step 14
Voila! The top of the rice cake is beautifully fluffy and perfectly steamed. To check if it’s cooked through, insert a chopstick or skewer; if it comes out clean without any batter, it’s ready!
Step 15
Oh no, I had a little mishap when unmolding! I forgot to remove the Teflon sheet while the cake was still hot, and got distracted, which caused the bottom to tear slightly. It’s best to peel off the Teflon sheet immediately after taking the cake out of the mold while it’s still warm.
Step 16
Since I made this at home, I was generous with the fillings, resulting in a perfect balance of rice cake and delicious, nutty filling! It turned out incredibly flavorful and satisfying. I highly recommend you try making it!
