Definition
Rice cake means all kinds of foods, which are made of the grain powders by kneading the powder with water and steaming it, in which rice cakes such as white rice cake (Hintteok), steamed rice cake (Sirutteok), rice cake coated with beam powder (Injeolmi), rice cake steamed on a layer of pine needles (Songpyeon), flower shaped rice cake, pan-fried rice cake (Juak) and dumpling coated with beam paste (Gyeongdan) are included.
Rice cake is a food which has been developed together with the lives of
Korean people and unique sentiment and culture are contained in it. And also
the combination of its taste, nutrition, texture and flavor is rather scientific. The taste,
flavors and colors of rice cakes are diversified depending on season and region and
rice cakes are natural food which is very good for health. The ingredients of rice
cake are mostly natural foods and the ingredients are used in the season in which
they are produced, and the mixture of the ingredients such as rice, grains, nuts,
fruits and vegetables contains all five major nutrients with medicinal nature
to some extent. Addition of various edible flowers, herb medicines and
natural coloring agents and natural flavoring agent makes rice cake '
more luxurious and graceful. With the harmony of colors from seasons
and regions, rice cake has the meaning of the sentiment for mutual help and
collaboration by sharing the rice cake with neighbors.
Hangwa (Oil-and-honey pastry) means Korean traditional cake or cookie.
The making method is far more diversified compared to that of western
cakes or biscuits, while allowing longer period of storage than that of western
cakes or biscuits without using inflating agent and preserving agent at all.
Hangwa is pure natural and healthy snack and is good for health
as good as medicine. Glutinous rice is a main ingredient and
most ingredients are natural plant foods, especially some herb ingredients
such as apricot stone, raspberry and pine pollen are used. That is
why Hangwa has outstanding nutrition with even medicinal efficacy to some
extent. Color and flavor are made using natural dyestuffs and natural flavoring
agents while well balanced nutrition can be taken depending on the
combination of main ingredients and subsidiary ingredients. |
Origin
As the agricultural age was unfolded in full scale entering into the Three States
age and the Unified Silla age, total grain outputs, especially rice output
was significantly increased and therefore rice cakes using grains other than rice
were diversified accordingly. Rice cakes are further developed in Goryeo age,
and the rice cakes are made by general people for occasionally prepared special foods for ordinary times not as special foods for upper class people, festive days and sacrificial rites only.
Entering into Joseon Dynasty, rice cake was positioned as essential food
for various ceremonial events such as marriage ceremonies, funeral rites and
sacrificial rites as well as large and small banquets, and such customs and
practices are inherited as tradition and customs even nowadays. |
by Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation