Tteok: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Korean rice cakes}}

{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Korean words and phrases]]}}

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'''''Tteok''''' ({{Korean|떡}}) is a general term for [[Korea]]n [[rice cake]]s. They are made with steamed [[flour]] of various grains, especially [[glutinous rice|glutinous]] and non-glutinous [[Japonica rice|rice]]. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make ''tteok''. In some cases, ''tteok'' is pounded from [[Bap (food)|cooked grains]].

''Tteok'' is eaten not only as a dessert or seasonal delicacy, but also as a meal. It can range from elaborate versions made of various colors, fragrances, and shapes using nuts, fruits, flowers, and ''namul'' (herbs/wild greens), to plain white rice ''tteok'' used in home cooking. Some common ingredients for many kinds of ''tteok'' are [[Adzuki bean|red bean]], [[soybean]], [[mung bean]], [[Artemisia princeps|mugwort]], [[Cucurbita moschata|pumpkin]], [[Castanea crenata|chestnut]], [[pine nut]], [[jujube]], dried fruits, [[sesame]] seeds and oil, and [[honey]].

''Tteok'' is usually shared. ''Tteok'' offered to spirits is called ''boktteok'' ("[[Fu (character)|good fortune]] rice cake") and shared with neighbours and relatives. It is also one of the celebratory foods used in banquets, rites, and various festive events. ''[[Tteokguk]]'' ("rice cake soup") is shared to celebrate [[Korean New Year]] and ''[[songpyeon]]'' is shared on [[Chuseok]], a harvest festival.

== History ==

{{Korean cuisine}}

The history of rice cakes goes back to the primitive agricultural society. It is presumed that it is because at least about the 7th to 8th centuries B.C., there are records of sowing seeds and plowing and farming in this land, or because almost all of them are found in the ruins like Galdol (a flat stone used as a tool when grinding fruit against a grind stone) or Dolhwag (a small mortar made of stone) of that period.

The origin of rice cakes began in prehistoric times when the coarse flour obtained from the primitive threshing process of mixed grains was baked or pan-fried without the use of cooking utensils.

== Utensils for making ''tteok'' ==

[[File:Tteoksal (떡살) 01.jpg|thumb|Tteoksal]]  

* ''Tteoksal'' ({{Korean|hangul=떡살|labels=no}}), wooden ''tteok'' pattern stamp

== Types ==

{{main|List of tteok varieties}}

''Tteok'' is largely divided into four categories: ''"steamed tteok"'' ({{Korean|hangul=찌는 떡|labels=no}}), ''"pounded tteok"'' ({{Korean|hangul=치는 떡|labels=no}}), ''"boiled tteok"'' ({{Korean|hangul=삶는 떡|labels=no}}) and ''"pan-fried tteok"'' ({{Korean|hangul=지지는 떡|labels=no}}). The steamed tteok is made by steaming rice or [[glutinous rice]] flour in ''"siru"'' ({{Korean|hangul=시루|labels=no}}), or a large [[earthenware]] [[steamer (appliance)|steamer]], so it is often called ''"sirutteok"'' ({{Korean|hangul=시루떡|labels=no}}). It is regarded as the basic and oldest form of ''tteok''. Pounded ''tteok'' is made by using a pounding board or mortar after steaming it first. In making pan-fried tteok, the rice dough is flattened like a [[pancake]] and pan-fried with vegetable oil. Shaped ''tteok'' are made by kneading dough with hot water, then shaping it into balls.

=== Steamed tteok ===

[[File:Baek-seolgi.jpg|thumb|[[Baekseolgi]]]]

The main ingredients for steamed ''tteok'' or ''"[[sirutteok]]"'' are [[rice]] (멥쌀, ''mebssal'' in Korean) or [[glutinous rice]] (찹쌀 ''chapssal''), and sometimes they are mixed together. In some cases, other grains, beans ([[azuki bean]]s or [[mung bean]]s), [[sesame]] seeds, [[wheat flour]], or [[starch]] are mixed with the rice. Various [[fruit]]s and nuts are used as subsidiary ingredients, such as [[persimmon]]s, [[peach]]es or [[apricot]]s, [[chestnut]]s, [[walnut]]s, and [[pine nut]]s. In addition, marinated vegetables or herbs can be used to flavor the ''tteok''. ''Danggwi'' leaves (''[[Ostericum grosseserratum]]''), ''[[Umbilicaria esculenta|seogi]]'' mushroom (manna [[lichen]]), [[radish]], [[Artemisia (genus)|artemisia]], [[Capsicum|pepper]], and ''[[cheongju (wine)|cheongju]]'' are the most common flavorings, and honey and sugar are used as [[Sugar substitute|sweeteners]].

In order to make steamed ''tteok'' or ''sirutteok'', rice or glutinous rice is soaked in water for a while, then ground. The prepared rice flour is put in a ''siru'' and steamed. According to steaming method, ''[[sirutteok]]'' is subdivided into two groups: ''seolgitteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=설기떡|labels=no}}), which is shaped into a single large lump, and ''kyeotteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=켜떡|labels=no}}), which consists of multiple layers with [[adzuki bean]] powder or other bean powder. ''Seolgitteok'' is also called ''muritteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=무리떡|labels=no}}), which is regarded as the most basic form of ''sirutteok'' because it is made only of rice. When making ''kyeotteok'', rice and glutinous rice are mixed. The name ''kyeotteok'' derives from the adverb ''kyeokeyo'' (켜켜, literally "layered") in Korean because this ''tteok'' is made in layers.

*''[[Baekseolgi]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=백설기|labels=no}}) - a variety of ''siru tteok''. It literally means white snow ''tteok'' and is made of white rice.

*''Kongtteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=콩떡|labels=no}}) - ''tteok'' made with various kinds of beans

*''[[Mujigae tteok]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=무지개떡|labels=no}})  - literally "rainbow ''tteok''"; this variety of ''tteok'' has colorful stripes. The ''tteok'' is used especially for ''janchi'' ({{Korean|hangul=잔치|labels=no}}), a Korean banquet, party, or feast such as ''dol'' (celebrating a baby's first birthday), ''[[Hwangap]]'' (celebrating a 60th birthday), or ''gyeolhon janchi'' (wedding party)

=== Pounded tteok ===

[[File:가래떡.jpg|thumb|[[Garae-tteok]]]]

In traditional preparations, pounded ''tteok'' is made by pounding rice or glutinous rice with utensils called ''[[jeolgu]]'' and ''jeolgutgongi'' or ''tteokme'' and ''anban''. ''[[Injeolmi]]'' (''tteok'' coated with adzuki bean powder or roasted soybean powder), ''[[garaetteok]]'' (가래떡 cylinder-shaped white tteok), ''[[jeolpyeon]]'' (절편 patterned tteok) and ''[[Danja (food)|danja]]'' (단자 glutinous tteok ball coated with bean paste)" are the most commonly eaten pounded ''tteok''.

Rice and glutinous rice are hulled to make grain particles or powder and then steamed in a ''siru'' (earthenware steamer) and pounded with utensils. The pounded tteok is divided by rice type into glutinous pounded tteok (찹쌀도병 ''chapssal dobyeong'') and non-glutinous pounded ''tteok'' (맵쌀도병 ''mapssal dobyeong''). ''Injeolmi'', a representative of glutinous pounded tteok, varies in accordance with ''[[gomul]]'' types (고물, coating made with bean powder, sesame seeds, or sliced jujubes) or subsidiary ingredients mixed into the [[steamed rice]] while pounding on the ''anban''. ''Patinjeolmi'' ({{Korean|hangul=팥인절미|labels=no}}), and ''kkaeinjeolmi'' ({{Korean|hangul=깨인절미|labels=no}}) are examples for the former, coated with red bean powder and sesame, respectively. In ''ssuk injeolmi'' ({{Korean|hangul=쑥인절미|labels=no}}) and ''surichwi injeolmi'' ({{Korean|hangul=수리취인절미|labels=no}}), ''ssuk'' ([[Artemisia indica]]) and ''surichwi'' ([[Asteraceae|''Synurus deltoides'' (AIT.) NAKAI]]) are added.

*''[[Garae-tteok]]'' (가래떡; also called ''huin tteok'', 흰떡, literally "white tteok") – ''tteok'' formed into a long white cylinder. The thinly sliced ''garae tteok'' is used for making ''[[Tteokguk|tteok guk]]''.

*''[[Omegi Tteok|Omegi tteok]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=오메기떡|labels=no}}) – traditional ''tteok'' of [[Jeju Island]], the biggest island in Korea

=== Shaped ''tteok'' ===

*''Ggul tteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=꿀떡|labels=no}}) - literally means "tteok with honey" but the ''tteok'' is stuffed with Korean syrup. ''Ggul tteok'' is similar to ''[[songpyeon]]'' in shape, but smaller in size

*''[[Bupyeon]]'', consisting of dough made of [[glutinous rice]] flour with a sweet filling and coated in ''[[gomul]]'' (powdered beans).

=== Pan-fried ''tteok'' ===

*''[[Hwajeon]]''  - small, sweet pancakes made of flour of glutinous rice and decorated with flower petals of the Korean [[azalea]], [[chrysanthemum]], or rose.

*''Juak'' ({{Korean|hangul=주악|labels=no}}), made of [[glutinous rice]] flour and stuffed with fillings such as [[mushroom]]s, [[jujube]]s, and [[chestnut]]s, and pan-fried. ''Juak'' are colored with natural coloring and covered with sugar or coated in honey.

=== Other varieties ===

*''Ssuk tteok'' ({{Korean|hangul=쑥떡|labels=no}})

*''Gaksaek pyeon'' ({{Korean|hangul=각색편|labels=no}})

== Gallery ==

<gallery>

</gallery>

== Dishes made with ''tteok'' ==

*''[[Tteok guk]]''

*''[[Tteok-kkochi]]''

== See also ==

* ''[[Nian gao]]'', similar Chinese category

* {{portal-inline|Food}}

== External links ==

{{Commons}}

*{{in lang|ko}} [http://anakii.anakii.net/updata/korean_yori/ttuk/ttuk.htm Information about and recipe for ''Tteok'']

{{Glutinous rice dishes}}

[[Category:Tteok| ]]

[[Category:Korean cuisine]]

[[Category:Steamed foods]]

{{二次利用|date=15 June 2025, at 02:06}}