[Korean Taste] Tteokamjuk

Easily Digestible and Smooth Thin Porridge

Tteokamjuk

Tteokamjuk is a thin porridge made by boiling powder made from dried Baeksulgi rice cake, and it is called Tteokamjuk because it is made from Baeksulgi rice cake. Amjuk is a food made for patients, the elderly, or babies who lack breast milk.

Baeksulgi rice cake is dried and ground into powder, stored well, and used when making amjuk as needed. The rice cake called Baeksulgi, meaning "white snow," is steamed and served on tables for a baby's 21st day, 100th day, and first birthday celebrations. Nowadays, Baeksulgi rice cake can be purchased anytime and used directly as rice cake, but in the past, Baeksulgi was dried and stored as powder for later use.

Korean porridge, which has developed in many varieties, includes thin porridges made for easy eating such as mieum, eungi, amjuk, and juice. Among amjuk varieties, there is Sikhye-amjuk made by boiling sikhye (sweet rice drink) and ground rice, rice amjuk made from roasted non-glutinous rice powder, Tteokamjuk made from Baeksulgi powder, and chestnut amjuk made by grinding rice and chestnuts and cooking them thinly. Chestnut amjuk is made by selecting good fresh chestnuts, peeling the outer shell, grating them, sifting, and slowly boiling with ground rice. Amjuk is easily digestible and nourishing.

In the past, Baeksulgi was made, dried, ground, and hung in paper bags for use.

The manuscript was written with reference to Kang In-hee’s book, Taste of Korea.

recipe

▶Ingredients and Quantity (serves 2)

100g Baeksulgi, 2 cups hot water, a little sugar, a little salt

▶Preparation Method

1. Cut Baeksulgi into small pieces and pour hot water over it. Put it in a hand blender or mixer and grind finely.

2. Put it in a pot and stir with a wooden spatula while cooking the amjuk. When it steams, season with sugar and salt.

Cooking, writing, and photography by Lee Dong-soon, President of the Korean Culinary Research Association / Senior Vice President of the Institute of Traditional Culinary Arts and Flavors of Korea / Master Chef of the Republic of Korea

* Institute of Traditional Culinary Arts and Flavors of Korea

This nonprofit organization was established by like-minded individuals with the purpose of inheriting and preserving Korea’s traditional natural foods created through the coexistence of nature and humans, and finding the identity of Korean cuisine. Furthermore, through research for the globalization of Korean food, it strives to widely promote the excellence of Korean food culture and explore development directions. It researches banquet foods, seasonal foods, lifelong ritual foods, local foods, rice cakes and sweets, kimchi, fermented foods such as jang (fermented sauces), and healthy beverages. It also conducts activities such as discovering and reproducing old foods, which are noble legacies reflecting our life and philosophy through classical literature research, traditional food transmission education, domestic and international food culture exchanges, publications, and exhibitions.