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Would you like to learn how to make a traditional Korean sweet treat? If so, try making injeolmi! This old-school snack is chewy and soft with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. Quick and easy to make, you can prepare this dish with just the microwave in less than 15 minutes!
What Is Injeolmi?
Injeolmi (인절미) 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 powdered beans or other ingredients.
While this process used to take many hours, you can make it within 15 minutes in a modern kitchen thanks to the microwave!
There are countless varieties of sweetened rice cakes based on the type of gomul (고물) used. Gomul refers to various kinds of powdered coatings, toppings, fillings, or dips in Korean cuisine. For tteok, you most commonly will see gomul made with dried powdered soybeans, mugwort, azuki beans, sesame seeds, or dried jujube.
For the purpose of my recipe, I used roasted soybean powder gomul, which is best during the summer as it is less prone to spoil.
Korean Injeolmi Ingredient List:
Below, I list the ingredients used to make this recipe:
- Sweet Rice Flour (Mochiko Flour)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Water
- Roasted Soybean Powder
Korean Injeolmi Tips & Tricks:
Here, I list some helpful tips & tricks to help you make this easy Korean injeolmi recipe. If you have any questions, leave a comment below or email me at [email protected]! I hope these tips help!
- Injeolmi dries up and hardens quickly. It is only soft, stretchy, and pliable when it’s still warm to the touch. Therefore, make sure to stretch, cut, and coat it with the soybean powder as quickly as possible.
- I recommend preparing injeolmi right before serving. This way, the texture is soft and chewy. Once again, injeolmi hardens as it sits for an extended period.
- If you have leftovers, store this sweet snack at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 12 hours. If you plan on storing it for longer, I recommend freezing it to maintain the freshness. Then, you can thaw it at room temperature and microwave it for a short amount of time to make it soft and chewy again!
- Serve this sweet and nutty treat with tea!
Korean Injeolmi Frequently Asked Questions:
Now that we learned about some tips & tricks, I want to answer some questions you may have about this recipe! If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].
Does This Recipe Contain Major Allergens? (Gluten, Soy, Etc.)
Before listing all of the major allergens, I want to state that all of my recipes are naturally gluten-free. On this blog, I only use and recommend gluten-free ingredients and brands. That being said, I list gluten as a potential allergen when necessary– this is because many Korean ingredients (such as soy sauce, gochujang, and doenjang) contain gluten unless you specifically buy gluten-free versions. Not only is this true for gluten, but it is true for other major allergens as well. As such, I always list allergy substitutions in the next section of my post.
This recipe does not contain 8 of the 9 major allergens. It does not contain:
- Peanuts
- Fish
- Crustacean Shellfish
- Milk (Dairy)
- Tree Nuts
- Sesame
- Wheat (Gluten)
- Eggs
This recipe does contain 1 of the 9 major allergens. It can contain:
- Soybean
Allergy Substitutions or Omissions:
For those with a soy allergy:
This recipe for injeolmi uses Korean roasted soybean powder. If you have a soy allergy, you can replace the roasted soybean powder with a different type of ‘gomul’ (고물). As I stated above, ‘gomul’ refers to a number of different powdered coatings, toppings, fillings, and dips in Korean cuisine.
Roasted soybean powder is the most popular type of coating for injeolmi. You can use other types of coating, such as red bean or mung bean powder!
Is This Recipe Vegetarian or Vegan?
Excitingly, this recipe is naturally vegetarian and vegan!
Where Can I Buy the Ingredients for This Recipe?
When making this recipe, I recommend shopping at your local family-owned Korean grocery store or an Asian grocery store chain (such as H-Mart). You can also order ingredients such as roasted soybean powder and sweet glutinous rice powder online!
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 How to Make This Korean Injeolmi Recipe!
In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning how to make this Korean injeolmi recipe. 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 recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.
Further Carving A Journey Recipes:
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 making injeolmi. Thank you so much for stopping by!
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