Garaeddeok
Garaeddeok (Sticky Rice Tube) is used in ddeokbokki (spicy rice cake) and ddeokguk. The spicy rice cake ddeokbokki is popular street food in South Korea and I will show you how to make it.
So before we go into the main event, let’s have a bit of a Korean language lesson. If any of our Korean friends are reading this, correct me if I’m wrong ok? So… ddeok is Korean for rice cake. That’s the easy part, but what about garae? Garae comes from the verb gaeuda which means “to divide”. Divided rice cake is the rough translation of Garaeddeok. Do you follow? If not that’s alright, what’s important is how to make it!
You can find pre-made sticky rice tube in Korean grocery markets. But if there is no Korean store near you, this recipe can help you make it at home. you need short grain rice flour. The flour you buy at your local store or the flour you make may have more or less moisture in it than the rice flour I used. This is due to different things. Like how long it’s been in the freezer or the atmospheric conditions where you live. You can add more or less boiling water, depending on how dry or wet your short grain rice flour is.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Tips for Garaeddeok
- If you are using frozen rice flour (maessal garu), the dough should be less watery. Add water gradually until you reach the following consistency. When you grab a handful, the dough is bound together but when you squeeze it hard, it breaks into bits.
Garaeddeok (Sticky Rice Tube)
Ingredients
- 2 cups short-grain rice flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¾ cup water (boiling water)
Instructions
- In a bowl. Add short-grain rice flour, salt, and carefully pour boiling water.2 cups short-grain rice flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¾ cup water
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir until dough forms.
- Steam the dough in a steamer for about 30 min or until the dough is cooked inside. Make sure there is enough water in the steamer.
- Remove the dough from a steamer. Pound the cooked dough with a wooden pestle or you can use a rolling pin.
- Place sesame oil on top of a clean work surface and dump the dough.1 tsp sesame oil
- Roll the dough into a long tubular (cylinder) shape. Approximately ½” to ¾” (or 1.5 to 2 cm) diameter.
- Cut the tubes into 2 to 2½” (5 to 6 cm) length to use them for ddeokbokki (spicy rice cake).
- You can store them in a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze them for a month. Thaw them water first when ready to cook ddeokbokki. Bon Appetit!
🙂
Does it matter if it’s pure or white sesame oil?
Hi Eliana,
You can use any kind of sesame oil. No problem if its not pure sesame oil.
Thank you!
hi, can i use glutinous rice flour instead of short grain rice flour?
Hi Jessie, Hope you’re well, To answer your question, No, you can’t use glutinous rice because the texture will be different.
What if I don’t have a steamer!?
Hi Kurtis,
You can DIY a steamer. fill a medium pot with 1/2 inch of water, place three golf ball–sized balls of aluminum foil on the bottom, rest a heat-proof plate on top of the foil balls, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Add dough to the plate, cover, and steam for 30 minutes or until dough is cooked inside
I’m planning on trying to make this for myself & my mother. However, I’m confused about when the oil is needed. I see it in the ingredients but not in the actual directions.
When do I use the oil? Also, does it have to be sesame oil (I’m allergic)? Or can I use avocado (or coconut) oil?
Hi Raven, Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve updated the recipe card. The sesame oil is used as additional flavor and to make rolling the dough easier and avoid it from sticking on your hands or work surface. Yes, you can replace with avocado oil or coconut oil. Thank you and goodluck!