떡… or Rice Cake to You and I…

The Korean above is pronounced "ttŏk" or “teok” if you say it with a hard “T”.  To call 떡 simply rice cake is like calling chocolate a minor form of candy.  Just like chocolate has so many forms and so does the Korean rice cake.

 

Now, according to the recent poll that I added to this blog, the two top things the readers want to read about are customs and foods.  Well lets just say that I plan on answering. 

 

I am not able to tell you all about the many types of 떡, I will tell you about the ones that have left the greatest impressions on me.

 

To start, you must understand that while 떡 comes in many different forms, there are really two main types that are prevalent—at least in our area that is. 

 

First up is a dessert 떡.  There are loads of dessert rice cakes out there.  Some of the main kinds either look like some form of doughy candy or in other cases like white colored fruit cakes.  The first time that I had the dessert form of 떡, I really thought that living in Korea was going to be tougher than I once believed.  It had the consistence of slightly cooked bread dough and a taste like sweet rice.  I immediately missed my mom’s cake…  However, I have tried many other forms of 떡 and have grown much more fond of a few of the other types. 

 

I currently have two favorite kinds.  Both of them have red-bean centers and both have some form of color palette and coating.

This is an example of my new favorite.  I really have no idea what the powder that coats them is, but I know they taste really good!   Each of the colors has a slightly different taste.  For instance the yellow ones taste distinctly lemony and the green ones like lime.  

 

My other favorite looks just like the others only bigger and coated in coconut.  Both types have a red bean (Azuki bean) mash center.  It sounds a little strange, but it creates quite the taste experience.  

 

A couple of others in the desert category are 호떡 (Ho-tteok) which is basically a pancake with the syrup on the inside and the one I will never purchase again…green tea 떡.  The reason I won’t is because when you put them in your mouth and bite down they pop like oversized caviar.  I do like green tea by the way, but those seriously put a damper on my 떡 desire.

 

Now lest you think that rice cakes are relegated only to dessert foods, let me tell you that rice in this form reaches far and wide. 

 

One of the most popular dishes in Korea being sold at every street corner (or so it seems) is  떡볶이 pronounced “tteok-bok-ki.”  It is better not to think of it as only one dish, but rather several dishes made from thick, short rice noodles.  I have yet to acquire a taste for this dish even though it is really spicy hot and I do enjoy a mouth burn every once in awhile.

 

Sadly, I can think of very little else I know about these dishes and I have been borrowing heavily from my reading on some of the 떡 that I have not have. 

 

By the way, I do not use Wikipedia as my only source, nor do I think it is always the best source.  It does, however, provide its information freely and it usually can give some info about whatever I am trying to talk about at the moment.

 

FYI: I am adding a google map on the right side of the blog that shows you some of the places and interesting markers that you can see about life here in Korea.

 

So, until the next time. 

 

More to come…