Chewy and Delicious Potato Cakes Made with Fresh Potatoes
Potato cakes made entirely from fresh, raw potatoes
You’re likely familiar with potato cakes made from potato starch powder, a common ingredient. This recipe offers a delightful twist: using fresh, raw potatoes grated by hand. The result is a wonderfully chewy texture and a pure, natural potato flavor. We’ll also explore how to naturally color the dough for a beautiful presentation. Get ready to enjoy a truly special potato cake experience!
Potato Cake Ingredients- 4 large raw potatoes (approx. 850g)
- 2 tsp pumpkin powder (for color and flavor)
- A few pieces of dried beetroot (for natural red coloring)
- 1.5 Tbsp potato starch
- 6 pinches of salt
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (for finishing)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
While smaller potatoes were used in this instance due to availability, the recipe is designed for 4 large (extra-large size) potatoes. Adjust the quantity based on the size of your potatoes.
Step 2
Peel the potatoes. You can grate them using a traditional grater or a hand blender (like a ‘Dokebi Bangmangi’) for a fine texture. Avoid using a regular blender, as it can break down the potato starch, affecting the chewy texture of the cakes. After grating, let the potatoes sit in a fine-mesh sieve for about 30 minutes to drain the excess liquid. The settled starch at the bottom will be used later.
Step 3
Prepare your filling by taking some red bean paste out of the freezer and letting it thaw. Separately, soak a few pieces of dried beetroot in 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to extract its natural color.
Step 4
Firmly squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the grated potatoes collected in the sieve. In a bowl, combine the squeezed potato pulp, the settled potato starch, and 1 tablespoon of potato starch. Knead this mixture until it becomes cohesive and elastic, forming a dough. Divide this dough into three equal portions. To one portion, add the beetroot-infused water and an additional 1/2 tablespoon of potato starch, then knead until you achieve a smooth red dough.
Step 5
To the remaining two portions of dough, add 2 pinches of salt each. Knead them thoroughly until well combined. This completes the basic potato doughs.
Step 6
Take your prepared red bean paste and wrap it with the dough portions, shaping them into traditional ‘songpyeon’ (half-moon) rice cake shapes. Don’t worry if the dough feels a little soft or sticky; this often results in a chewier cake after steaming. (The mixed-color cake on the left in the photo was made from leftover dough scraps and may not hold its shape as well.)
Step 7
Fill a steamer with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, place the steamer rack (or ‘sambal’) inside and arrange the shaped potato cakes. Steam over high heat for at least 20 minutes. If you’ve shaped them into round balls, steam for an additional 3 minutes after the initial 20 minutes. If you’ve flattened them, 20 minutes of steaming should suffice.
Step 8
While the cakes are visually appealing in yellow (from pumpkin powder) and red (from beetroot), the purest, uncolored grey potato cakes often have the most profound flavor. While the cakes are still hot, put on a pair of disposable gloves, drizzle a little perilla oil onto your hands, and gently rub it all over the surface of the steamed cakes. This prevents them from drying out, gives them a lovely sheen, and enhances their deliciousness.
