Hotteok-Flavored Tteok-Matang
Delicious Korean Rice Cake Snack with a Hotteok Twist (Try with Garaetteok or Tteokguk Tteok)
When you think of iconic winter snacks, images of Bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastries) and Hotteok (sweet Korean pancakes) come to mind, but they can be challenging to make at home. Fortunately, most households have Tteokguk tteok (rice cakes for soup) or Garaetteok (long rice cakes) readily available in their freezers. I used Tteokguk tteok from my freezer and added cinnamon powder to create a Tteok-Matang (caramelized rice cake) that tastes remarkably like Hotteok. It’s a delightful and unique snack!
Main Ingredients- 150g Tteokguk tteok (or Garaetteok)
- 1/2 handful of nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc., to your preference)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all the ingredients for the recipe. Rinse the Tteokguk tteok under cold water and drain well. Roughly chop or break the nuts into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add the prepared Tteokguk tteok and gently toss them around to fry until the outer surface becomes slightly crispy. Be sure to maintain a low heat; if the heat is too high, the rice cakes can burn or become too hard.
Step 3
Tip. Be careful not to let the rice cakes brown too much while frying. Cook them just until the outer surface puffs up slightly and achieves a chewy texture. Overcooking will make them tough and less enjoyable.
Step 4
Once the rice cakes are nicely fried, set them aside briefly. In the same pan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and cinnamon powder. Cook over low heat, stirring with a spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble gently.
Step 5
As the sugar syrup begins to simmer, return the fried rice cakes to the pan. Stir and coat them thoroughly with the syrup, ensuring each piece is well-covered.
Step 6
Add the prepared nuts to the pan. Continue to stir-fry over low heat until the syrup has mostly evaporated and clings to the rice cakes, creating a glossy coating. Be mindful not to burn the nuts.
Step 7
Transfer the finished Tteok-Matang to a serving plate. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for a final touch. Your delicious ‘Hotteok-Flavored Tteok-Matang’, with its chewy texture and sweet cinnamon glaze, is now ready to be enjoyed! It’s best served warm.
