Chuseok is about
family and food - plentiful of it. The day of the “bright autumn night”-
literal translation of chuseok - came
a little early - September 19th - in 2013. So it was a bit too warm
and crops weren’t ripe yet.
However,
the mood of the event was fully festive as the moon beaming bright. Many treats
including han-gwa (Korean roasted or
fried rice cookies) are served throughout the three day chuseok holidays.
But
the food of the harvest celebration is definitely songpyeon. The half-moon shaped rice cake represents hope. Full
moon wanes after waxing thus demilune is considered to be more wishful for the
abundant season. The steamed cake is chewy with nutty flavored sweet filling -
there’re variations from mashed beans to chestnuts and it’s not always sweet.
The
following recipe makes a plain white colored songpyeon without the flower adornment, the dark green ssuuk (mugwort) or the yellow dan-hobak (squash) in the picture.
Ingredients
Serves 1
50ml
rice powder
1
pinch salt
1
1/2 tablespoon (or more) hot water (boiling)
1/2
teaspoon sugar
1/3
teaspoon roasted sesame seeds (crushed)
1/4
teaspoon rice syrup
1
drop sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. In a bowl, mix rice powder, salt and hot water. Stir well
with a spoon until the mixture is cool enough to touch. Knead about 3 minutes.
Let it rest about 5 minutes.
2. Mix sugar, sesame seeds and rice syrup in a sauce bowl.
Set it aside.
3.
Form dough into two balls. Make a well with your thumb and enlarge by pressing
the dough outwards.
4. Put sesame filling in the concave and seal the opening.
5.
Gently squeeze the dough with your hand to release air in the filling. Press
into a ball then a semicircular shape.
6.
Using your thumb and index finger, sharpen the round edges of the half-moons.
7. Pour water in the steamer and line the tray with wax paper or
damp cheese cloth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
8.
Place the rice mixture in the steamer and cook over medium high heat for about 15
minutes.
