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What Is Sweet Rice Flour (Chapssal-Garu)?
Glutinous rice flour, known as ‘chapssal-garu’ (찹쌀가루) in Korean, is a flour made from glutinous rice. Glutinous rice, also referred to as sticky rice or sweet rice, is a variety of rice grown throughout Asia. People call it glutinous because of its sticky or glue-like texture when cooked.
In this article, I will discuss some of the uses of glutinous rice flour in Korean cuisine and answer any questions you may have about this ingredient.
Glutinous Rice Flour (Chapssal-Garu) in Korean Cuisine:
As stated above, in South Korea, people refer to sweet rice flour as ‘chapssal-garu’ (찹쌀가루).
Below, I list a few popular ways people use glutinous rice flour as an ingredient:
- Injeolmi (인절미): Injeolmi is a variety of Korean rice cake. You make this dish by steaming and pounding glutinous rice flour until it is soft and chewy. Then, roll the steamed rice ball flat before cutting it into small pieces (usually bite-sized squares). Finally, toss the rice cake pieces in roasted soybean powder! Learn how to make this dish here!
- Gochujang (고추장): Gochujang, otherwise known as red pepper paste in Korean, is a spicy, earthy, savory, and sweet fermented condiment used in Korean cooking. Most commonly, it is made from gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder), glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt. You can find gluten-free versions of this fermented paste that exclude the barley malt powder.
- Kimchi (김치): Kimchi is a traditional Korean banchan (side dish) made from salted and fermented vegetables. Often glutinous rice flour is used to thicken the spicy red paste used to ferment the vegetables.
Chapssal-garu Frequently Asked Questions:
Now that we learned about chapssal-garu in Korean cuisine, I want to answer some questions you may have about this ingredient! If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].
Is Glutinous Rice Flour Gluten-Free?
Glutinous rice flour is naturally gluten-free! That being said, as always, I recommend checking the packaging to ensure it is not processed with any gluten-containing ingredients!
What About Other Major Allergens?
Besides gluten, this ingredient does not contain any wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, sesame, eggs, soy, and milk. Therefore, it does not contain 9 of the 9 major allergens.
How Should I Store Chapssal-garu?
I recommend storing bags of chapssal-garu in a cool, dark, and dry location (such as the pantry). Once opened, you can keep it in the pantry or store it in the refrigerator for a prolonged period.
What Is a Good Glutinous Rice Flour Substitute?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a good substitute for glutinous rice flour when it comes to Korean cooking. As stated above, people use this ingredient to make a variety of rice cakes and other ingredients such as kimchi and gochujang.
Where Can I Buy This Ingredient?
You can buy this Korean ingredient at your local Korean or Asian grocery store. You can also buy it online!
I recommend looking for the term ‘mochiko,’ when out shopping. It is the Japanese word for sweet rice flour. Mochiko from the Blue Star Brand from Koda Farms in California is easier to find in the United States than Korean versions.
Where to Buy Korean Ingredients Online?
Nowadays, there are many online options to choose from when ordering Korean food online. These websites are not limited to but include:
- Amazon
- H-mart
- Hanpoom
- Wooltari
- Seoul Mills
I Hope You Enjoyed Learning About Chapssal-garu!
In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning about the uses of chapssal-garu (sweet rice flour or glutinous rice flour) in Korean cuisine. If so, let me know in the comment section!
If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find recipes as well as further Korean ingredient articles on my blog. I listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey Korean recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.
Korean Ingredient Articles:
- Roasted Soybean Powder (Bokkeun Konggaru)
- Dried Kelp (Dashima)
- Dried Persimmon (Gotgam)
- Korean Pepper (Gochu)
- Garlic Chives (Buchu)
- Hot Mustard in Korean Cooking (Gyeoja)
- Korean Green Plum Extract (Maesil Cheong)
Further Carving A Journey Recipes:
- Korean Injeolmi Recipe
- Gluten-Free Gochujang Caramel Cookies
- Korean Strawberry Bingsu Recipe
- Korean Bingsu Recipe
If you have any questions or comments, you can also email me at [email protected]. And, finally, I would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow me at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also started a vlog YouTube channel with my husband! Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to the blog by joining the mailing list. Let me know if you try using chapssal-garu while cooking! Thank you so much for stopping by!
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