Youngyang Chaltteok (Healthy Sweet Rice Cake)
Korean rice cake made with sweet rice flour and healthy ingredients such as beans, nuts and dried fruits and pumpkin!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup soaked black soybeans (1/2 cup dry) (seoritae, 서리태 (or kidney beans))
- 12 jujubes (dried Korean dates, daechu, 대추 (or 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or persimmons))
- 1/2 cup dried kabocha (or other type of pumpkin - optional - See note 1)
- 10 chestnuts (quartered)
- 1/2 cup walnuts (quartered)
- 5 cups wet sweet rice flour (defrosted at room temperature, if frozen - See note 2)
- 3 tablespoons sugar (2 tablespoons if you like it less sweet)
- ⅓ cup almond meal - optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the beans by soaking in warm water for a few hours. Rinse the jujubes and cut each one around the seed into 3 to 4 pieces. Rinse the optional dried kabocha and rehydrate by adding a tablespoon or two of water at a time, until softened. Prepare the nuts.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, sugar, and the optional almond meal. Mix well by hand or a whisk until everything is well incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of water and rub the powder between your palms, breaking the big clumps, to evenly distribute the moisture. You don’t need to try to break up small clumps.
- 3
Add all the other ingredients and gently toss to combine everything.
- 4
Fill a steamer (or a pot) with water two thirds of the way. Prepare the steamer insert (or bamboo steamer) with a wet linen/cotton cloth (or cheesecloth). Turn the heat on. When it starts to steam, add the mixture to the steamer insert with a large spoon. Even the top out, but do not pack. If your cloth hangs down low, fold it over to cover the mixture. Unless using a bamboo steamer, fully cover the top with another cloth before putting the lid on. (This will prevent the water generated by steam from dripping on the rice cake.)
- 5
Steam for 30 minutes, and then remove the steamer insert from the heat.
- 6
When it’s cool enough to handle, flip it over onto a cutting board. Remove the cloth.
- 7
Shape the rice cake to a rectangle if desired. Wet your hands before touching the rice cake. Cut into serving size pieces.
- 8
Keep it in an airtight container if serving within a day or two. To store for a longer period, individually wrap and freeze the rice cake. For best results, do this within a few hours of making. Simply leave it out at room temperature until it softens before serving, or you can briefly defrost it in the microwave.