Nostalgic Makgeolli Bread (Easy Rice Cake Made with a Rice Cooker)
Homemade Soft and Chewy Rice Cake Using Leftover Makgeolli
Here’s a simple recipe to make moist and sweet traditional Korean rice cake (Sulppang) at home using leftover makgeolli (rice wine). It’s incredibly easy, and the texture is wonderfully chewy with a subtle, pleasant aroma from the makgeolli. Using a rice cooker makes the whole process, from fermentation to steaming, incredibly convenient!
Ingredients
- 100g non-glutinous rice flour
- 50ml store-bought makgeolli (acts as a starter)
- 100ml room temperature water
- 2 Tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 tsp salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, place 100g of non-glutinous rice flour into a large, clean bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar for sweetness and 0.5 teaspoon of salt for flavor, then mix them together.
Step 2
Next, pour in 100ml of water that has been brought to room temperature (so it’s not cold) and 50ml of makgeolli to aid fermentation. Ensure the makgeolli is at room temperature for optimal fermentation.
Step 3
Using a spatula or whisk, stir well until all ingredients are evenly combined without any lumps. It’s important to mix until you achieve a smooth batter consistency.
Step 4
Loosely cover the bowl with the batter. This prevents impurities from entering while allowing fermentation gases to escape. You can use plastic wrap, parchment paper, or a damp kitchen towel draped loosely over the top.
Step 5
Now, let’s keep the batter warm for proper fermentation. Wrap the entire bowl snugly with a towel. If it’s winter, ferment at room temperature for about 6 hours. In warmer summer conditions, 3 hours might be sufficient. The batter is ready when you see small bubbles on the surface and it has visibly risen.
Step 6
This is what the fermented batter looks like. You’ll notice bubbles forming on the surface, the batter will have roughly doubled in volume, and a pleasant, slightly alcoholic aroma characteristic of Sulppang will be noticeable.
Step 7
Carefully pour the well-fermented batter into your steaming mold or heatproof container. To prevent the cake from sticking, lightly grease the sides of the container with cooking oil or butter; this will make removal much easier later.
Step 8
Pour about 2-3cm of water into your rice cooker and bring it to a boil. Use the ‘Cook’ or ‘Steam’ function on your rice cooker to generate steam. (Please check your specific rice cooker model for exact functions.)
Step 9
Once the water is boiling and steam is rising, carefully place the container with the batter inside the rice cooker. Close the lid and let it steam for 20 minutes using the residual heat. This is essentially a gentle steaming process, often achieved by leaving it on ‘Keep Warm’ or a similar low-heat setting.
Step 10
If your rice cooker has a ‘Multi-steam’ or ‘Steam’ function, select that and steam for 20 minutes. If not, you can achieve a similar result by using the ‘Cook’ function, and then after it finishes, leaving the lid closed for an additional 10-15 minutes to let it steam further. (Adjust the time based on your rice cooker and the amount of batter.)
Step 11
After steaming is complete, carefully remove the container from the rice cooker. Let the Sulppang cool slightly, then cut it into desired portions. For an attractive finish, sprinkle black sesame seeds on top. Enjoy your freshly made, chewy, and soft Sulppang while it’s still warm!
