Sweet & Chewy Traditional Yeokban (Sweet Rice with Nuts & Dates)
How to Make Yeokban (Sweet Rice Cake) with an Electric Pressure Cooker for Chuseok
A simple recipe for making delicious Yeokban, a traditional Korean sweet rice cake, using an electric pressure cooker. Perfect for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) or any special occasion!
Key Ingredients- 3 cups glutinous rice
- 3 cups water
- 25 cooked chestnuts
- 10 dates
- 1 cup cooked kidney beans
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly rinse 3 cups of glutinous rice. Then, soak the rinsed rice in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Soaking the rice makes it wonderfully chewy and flavorful.
Step 2
After soaking for an hour, drain the rice well using a sieve. Proper draining is key to achieving the perfect texture without the rice becoming mushy.
Step 3
Lightly coat the inside of your electric pressure cooker’s inner pot with 2/3 Tbsp of sesame oil. This prevents the yeokban from sticking. Add the soaked glutinous rice, 25 cooked chestnuts, and 10 dates to the pot. For the dates, remove the pits and cut them into 3-4 pieces. If the chestnuts are small, you can leave them whole; if they are large, you can cut them in half.
Step 4
Now, let’s prepare the sweet seasoning sauce that gives Yeokban its signature flavor. Combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp unrefined raw sugar, 1.5 Tbsp plum extract, and our special secret ingredient: 1/2 Tbsp ginger syrup (this is used instead of cinnamon powder). While cinnamon powder is common, the subtle ginger aroma adds a delightful depth to the yeokban. Mix everything together with the rice, chestnuts, and dates until well combined.
Step 5
Add the 1 cup of cooked kidney beans and gently mix them in. They add a lovely color contrast and texture to the yeokban. Pour in 3 cups of water, which is the same amount as the glutinous rice. If you prefer a firmer, chewier texture, you can slightly reduce the amount of water.
Step 6
Close the lid of the pressure cooker and select the ‘White Rice High Pressure’ cooking mode. On my particular pressure cooker, this took about 27 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on your appliance, so please refer to your cooker’s manual.
Step 7
Once the cooking is complete, gently stir the yeokban from the bottom up with a spatula. Lightly oil another container (a mold or loaf pan works well) with sesame oil. Press the cooked yeokban firmly into the prepared container. Invert the container onto a serving plate and let it cool slightly to help it set. For the best texture, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze. When ready to serve, allow it to thaw at room temperature; it will become soft and chewy again. It’s delicious served cold or gently reheated.
