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Garaetteok (Korean Rice Cake) Recipe

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4.3 from 3 reviews

Garaetteok is a classic Korean rice cake made from wet-milled rice flour, known for its smooth and elastic texture. This recipe offers two preparation methods: microwave and steamer, allowing you to create versatile rice cakes perfect for dishes like tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and tteokguk (Korean rice cake soup). The process includes soaking and grinding rice for homemade rice flour, and detailed instructions for shaping and using the rice cakes.

Ingredients

Rice Flour

  • 2 cups wet-milled rice flour (300g) from short or medium grain rice (e.g., sushi rice)
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp fine salt

Water

  • 3/4 cups boiling water (175g), divided into three sets of 1/4 cups for microwave method
  • 1/4 cups boiling water (60g) for steamer method

Oil

  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare Rice Flour: Rinse 2.5 cups (535g) of short or medium-grain rice under cold water until water runs clear. Soak submerged in water, covered, for 12 hours or overnight. Drain well and let sit in a fine-mesh strainer at room temperature for 1 hour to remove excess moisture. Grind the soaked rice in a food processor until a fine powder forms. Sift the flour multiple times removing clumps and unground grains to ensure extra fine texture, ending with approximately 4.5 cups of flour.
  2. Make Rice Cake with Microwave: Combine rice flour, cornstarch, salt, and 1/4 cup boiling water in a microwave-safe bowl. Mix well. Add another 1/4 cup boiling water and mix until smooth and easy to stir. Cover with cling wrap, leaving a small vent, and microwave on high for 2 minutes (1250 W). Remove carefully, add remaining 1/4 cup water, mix well, cover again and microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds more. Transfer the hot dough onto a silicone mat or cling wrap lined board.
  3. Knead and Pound Dough (Microwave Method): Wearing thick cotton gloves with food-safe gloves over them, knead the hot dough. Pound with a pestle for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Make Rice Cake with Steamer: Divide dough evenly into 5 pieces. Line a steamer with a silicone mat, perforated parchment, or clean tea towel. Spread dough evenly in small pieces over liner to allow even cooking. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Transfer steamed dough to a silicone mat or cling wrap lined board.
  5. Knead and Pound Dough (Steamer Method): Wearing thick cotton gloves with food-safe gloves over them, knead the hot dough and pound it with a pestle for about 5 minutes to achieve smooth, elastic texture.
  6. Prepare Rice Cake for Tteokbokki: Divide dough into 5 pieces. Lightly coat palms with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and rub onto dough pieces to prevent sticking. Roll each into a cylinder 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter. Trim ends and cut into 6 cm lengths, roughly finger-sized. Use immediately in stir-fry dishes like tteokbokki.
  7. Prepare Rice Cake for Tteokguk: Divide dough into 2 pieces. Coat palms with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and rub onto dough. Roll into cylinders 2 to 3 cm in diameter. Place on plate, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate about 1 hour until firm. Slice diagonally about 0.5 cm thick into oval shapes. Use in Korean rice cake soup (tteokguk).

Notes

  • Soaking the rice overnight ensures proper hydration for soft rice flour.
  • Grinding the rice multiple times and thorough sifting are key for smooth, non-gritty rice cakes.
  • Using thick gloves prevents burns while kneading hot dough.
  • Coating rice cake dough with sesame oil prevents sticking during shaping.
  • Refrigerating shaped dough for tteokguk makes slicing easier and cleaner.
  • Choose microwave or steamer method based on available equipment and preference.

Find it online: https://cookedbygrace.com/garaetteok-korean-rice-cake-recipe/