November 4th Thursday Meeting Topic

[Anna입니당]

Tteok shop puts delectable spin on Korean desserts

2010-10-29 18:43

In a small, high-ceilinged shop tucked away near tourist-packed Insa-dong, sous chef at haap Kwon Young-mi pulls out a huge tub of frothy, white dough.

The fragrant scent of makgeolli a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage wafts up from the mixture of pulverized rice.

“We use fresh, market-available makgeolli,” said haap chef Sin Young-il. “We soak the non-glutinous rice for about a quarter of a day, then grind it and combine it with makgeolli and ferment the mixture for another quarter of a day.”

The result a bubbling, aromatic and snow white dough serves as the base of a classic Korean rice cake, formally known as jeungpyeon, but often called sul tteok (wine rice cake).

This particular rice cake was customarily eaten during the summer.

Because it was fermented with alcohol, it did not spoil quickly, making it ideal for the sweltering season, when food went bad easily.

For his newly-minted “tteok” (rice cake) shop, which he christened haap, chef Sin riffed off the classic dessert, filling some with whole, sweet chestnuts, filling others with round, whole red beans sourced from a family farm. His most delectable interpretation of the jeungpyeon is an airy, soft, puffed-up disc of pure ivory chock full of slivers of yuja. 

haap’s Gaeseong-style oven-baked yakgwa and deep-fried juak. The yakgwa resembles a rectangular, ginger-spiced baklava, with its flaky, rich layers. Pop the chewy, donut-like juak into your mouth for an explosion of honeyed syrup.  (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)

The sugared-up, citrus-loaded flavors of the “yuja” (citron) play off the more subtle pear-like nuances of the makgeolli-fermented cake.

Sous chef Kwon explained how it was possible to achieve the perfect centering of the fillings for their jeungpyeon, not an easy feat when the heavy chestnuts, beans and yuja tend to sink to the bottom of the tteok molds.

“It is because the dough is well-fermented,” she said, demonstrating her point by tipping bits of yuja into trays already half-filled with the rice-makgeolli mixture.

The yuja remained buoyant, levitated by the bubbles and froth of the jeungpyeon batter.

Kwon and Sin also work their culinary magic with other Korean sweets, including an oven-baked yakgwa and a deep-fried juak.

For the traditional Gaeseong-style juak, chunks of sticky rice and makgeolli-based dough are fried at just the right temperature, allowing the dough to expand into something that resembles a bubbled donut. The dented spheres are then soaked in a boiled mixture of “jocheong” (grain syrup), honey and ginger for thirty minutes.

To properly savor juak, pop the whole thing into your mouth and bite down. The slightly-spiced, sweet syrup comes flooding out while you chew on the airy, nutty pastry.

Sin, who seems to enjoy recreating sweets from the Goryeo capital, decided to take the Gaeseong-style yakgwa (which is traditionally deep-fried) and make it healthier by oven-baking it.

To achieve the same, crisp, buttery textures of the traditional pastry, Sin sprinkles oil over the multi-layered, flaky dessert before baking it. The small rectangular cubes are then liberally drenched in a mixture of jocheong, honey and ginger.

Glossy and caramel-colored, each bite reveals croissant-like layers of pastry, enhanced by the nuttiness of sesame oil, a hint of ginger and sweet syrup that oozes from the center.

A warm cup of “baesuk” Korean pear and ginger that has been simmered in water for approximately five to six hours, strained and sweetened with honey serves as the perfect accompaniment to haap’s decadent desserts.

To get to haap, go to Jongak Subway Station Line 1, Exit 2 and walk toward Jogyesa. Turn right at the first major intersection that has traffic lights. Walk past McDonald’s. About 50 meters down the street, there is a large gallery on your left. Turn left into the alleyway next to the gallery, haap will be on your left.

Opening hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; haap is closed Sundays. Plain jeungpyeon costs 1,000 won each, filled jeungpyeon 2,000 won each. Oven-baked yakgwa costs 2,000 won each. Juak costs 2,000 won each. Baesuk costs 3,000 won. Chef Sin will be showcasing a new persimmon tteok next week.

Seating is limited to two indoors and a small bench outdoors. Take-out is available.

Conversation Questions

Food & Eating

1. Are there any foods that you wouldn't eat as a child that you eat now?

2. Do you ever skip breakfast? If so, how often and why?

3. Do you have a favorite bar or cafe? If so, where is it? Why do you like it?

4. Do you like to try new food and drinks?

5. Do you prefer fish or meat?

6. Do you take vitamin pills?

7. How much do you eat when you are sad or happy?

8. How often do you eat steak?

9. Is there any food that you really dislike to eat?

10. What foods have you tasted which you will never forget for the rest of your life?

11. What is the most expensive restaurant that you have ever been to?

    - What did you eat there?

    - When did you go?

    - Who did you go with?

12. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

13. What is your favorite food? (Please describe your favorite food.)

[Jina]

언제나처럼 1번 테이블에 앉고자 하시는 분들은 여기에 댓글로 신청해 주세요^^

[애플트리]

오옷~! 예약 1등이네요~!!^^ 1번 테이블 찜!! 합니다~~

[Soyoung]

저도신청할께요!!^^

[prettyeye]

저도 1번 테이블 예약합니다~

[HJHJ]

이번엔 냉큼신청할게욬ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[새벽향기]

1번 예약이요~~^^

[Jina]

성원에 감사드리며..ㅋ 예약 한 분만 더 받도록 할게요^^

[배가고픈거긔]

1번 예약할께요

[Jina]

예약 완료~! 잠시 뒤에 뵙도록 해요^^

[alex]

어,,누나 예약 완료됬으면 1번테이블 못가는거예요? -_-;