Today I’ll show you how to make a homemade Korean rice cake called garaetteok.
Most of you know what tteok means, right? That’s rice cake. But what about garae? What is it, and what does it have to do with this rice cake?
There are a few theories about that. One of them is that garae comes from the verb gaeuda which means “to divide.” Some people think this rice cake got its name because it’s always “divided” into pieces before it’s rolled and stretched.
The other theory is the name comes from a Korean farming tool called a garae, which is a type of spade. A garae has 2 thick ropes attached to the side of it so that 2 helpers can pull the ropes and make the digging go faster.
Some people think those ropes look a lot like garaetteok, which is how the rice cake got its name.
I had never made homemade garaetteok until I developed this recipe for my website, but when I was growing up in Korea, I watched my grandmother in Korea make it once. I remember her pounding the rice cake with her long wooden pestle in her large stone mortar. Kong kong kong! When she was finished pounding it was elastic, chewy, and soft. Then she started rolling out pieces of it with her hands.
Rolling and stretching, rolling and stretching, until it became long like a rope.
I must have watched her pretty closely because my memories of her working are very vivid! And I also remember her huge smile when she saw me watching her. It was not easy work, and she probably sweat a lot, but she ever frowned.
Developing this recipe, I realized how much hard work it must have been for her. I have a microwave to help me, and I am only making a small amount. She made a lot more, and all by hand. Now I really understand how much work it was, and she still had the energy to give me a smile.
Several hours after she made it, the rice cake would get a little dry and hard. Then she cut it into thin discs for rice cake soup. I remember that she used to cut it straight across, not diagonally, so each rice cake looked exactly like a coin.
I miss her and I miss her smile. She passed away long time ago.
You can use a microwave or a steamer to make garaetteok, whichever one you have at home and feel comfortable with. The dough ratio is a little different depending on which method you use, so be sure to use the right one.
After it’s made, you can cut and prepare it for tteokbokki or tteokguk. Both methods are described below.
A note about 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 use in this recipe. This is because of many different things like how long it’s been in the freezer in the store, or the atmospheric conditions where you live. You may need to add more or less boiling water, depending on how dry or wet your short grain rice flour is.
¾ cup of boiling water if using a microwave, 1 cup of boiling water if using a steamer (you may need more or less depending on how much moisture is in your short grain rice flour, see the note above)
If you bought frozen rice flour from a Korean grocery store, put it in the fridge overnight until it thaws out and the flour becomes a powder. If you made your own rice flour, you don’t need to do this
Making rice cake with a microwave:
Combine the rice flour, kosher salt, and boiling water in a bowl. It should have the consistency of the mixture in this photo:
Cover it with plastic wrap, leaving a small gap to let the steam release. Microwave for 2 minutes.
Mix the rice cake dough with a rice scoop or wooden spoon.
Re-cover with the plastic wrap and cook for another 2 minutes.
Spread ½ ts toasted sesame oil on your cutting board. Put the hot rice cake in the oily spot on the cutting board. Pound it with a pestle for about 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Making rice cake with a steamer:
Combine the rice flour, kosher salt, and boiling water in a bowl.
Line a steamer rack with parchment paper. Add the rice cake dough and steam for about 25 minutes over hight heat.
Spread ½ ts toasted sesame oil on your cutting board. Put the hot rice cake in the oily spot on the cutting board. Pound it with a pestle for about 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. The rest of process is the same as the method of using a microwave oven.
Prepare the rice cake for ddeokbokki:
Cut it into 8 equal pieces, then roll each piece out into a 4 inch long cylinder shaped rice cake.
Put ½ ts toasted sesame oil onto your hands and gently rub the rice cakes to coat them in a thin sheen of oil. This will give them a nice flavor and keep them from sticking to each other.
Prepare the rice cake for ddeokguk (rice cake soup):
Cut it into 2 equal pieces, then roll each piece out into two 10 inch long cylinder shaped rice cakes.
Let them cool at room temperature for several hours, then slice diagonally into thin discs.
Use right away, or put in a plastic bag and freeze for later use. This amount is for 1 serving of ddeokguk, so if you want to make two bowls of soup, make two batches.
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i have made your recipe…but my dough became like a rock and the taste not chewy… i made it twice…is it because i use blended flour??that contains corn flour+rice flour please answer me!! thank you :)
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
“because i use blended flour?” yes, I think so. Follow the recipe please. I’m afraid to say that you can’t modify the main ingredient with anything else for this recipe.
yes I know what flour you are using HAHAHA i used the exact same one and because I have actually made my own rice flour from maangchi’s recipe, I knew that it had to be because of the mix of the corn flour. Blend your own rice flour if you can, can’t seem to find any korean grocery store in malaysia. It’s super easy
Hi Maangchi I’m not a Korean but I love tteokbokki very much. In my country, it’s really hard to find rice cake to make tteokbokki. I often buy rice cake at Lotte Mart, but now they don’t sell it anymore. By a chance, I read how to make rice cake on your webpage, I tried to make it at home and it’s perfect. It’s beautiful, chewy, rice fresh smell even better than Lotte Mart sold, i love it so much. I did it twice, the first time, I pound it with a pestle, but my thumb is hurt even after 2 days ^_^. So the second time, I used “The Stand Mixer use for kneading bread dough” knead my rice cake, and it turned out great such as I used a pestle. I write lots of words because I am too happy about my rice cake. And I really want say “THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAANGCHI”. Have a Great day! ^_^
I’m in college so I have limited resources, however I do have a standmixer! Your comment was so helpful to me because I don’t have a pestle nor do I know where to find one. Thanks for the good idea! Now I have no excuse not to make this at home, hehe :)
you need to get the FROZEN rice flour , the only kind to make this , they sell it in the fridge / freezer aisle . I had to ask the first time i tried to find this frozen rice flour . They directed me to the freezer and handed it to me , it’s cold and frozen and always has to be kept in the freezer .
HollieWestern australiajoined 4/17& has 4 comments
HELP! I used Dry Rice Flour but it came out a ROCK! not a dough you showed us. Do you have any idea about the hot water measurement again for Dry Rice Flour. You used Frozen/wet rice flour, right? Then how about the Dry one? Please Help! JK
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
I think you used the normal rice flour, that’s why. Instead you are suppose to use short grain rice flour, short grain rice flour is also different from sweet rice flour. you can try looking for it in korean store or like maangchi said make it your own! :)
” i want to make ddeokguk” Check out the step 3 in the recipe please. “This amount is for 1 serving of ddeokguk, so if you want to make two bowls of soup, make two batches.”
I love spicy rice cakes but it’s difficult to get garaeddeok in my place. Finally! a recipe on how to make garaeddeok! thanks Maangchi for sharing this! i’ll definitely make one tonight…wish me luck. (-;
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
Hooray, now we can make ddeokguk in the middle of winter in Iowa, when it’s hard to drive all the way to the nearest Korean market! I made some ddeok tonight, and I have two observations:
1) I made my own rice flour according to your recipe, and maybe it wasn’t as “thirsty” as the commercial one— when I added 3/4 cup to 2 cups of flour, the result was actually quite wet and paste-like, not a crumbly dough at all! After the first couple minutes in the microwave, it was becoming quite hard and glue-like, but I just broke it up and mixed it some more and microwaved it more, and everything turned out OK in the end. I pounded it for a few minutes and then I put it in the KitchenAid with the dough hook for a couple minutes, and it got nice and smooth and elastic.
2) I had tried an earlier batch, putting it directly into the KitchenAid from the microwave, and pounding it afterwards. That didn’t work nearly as well, since the result turned out a little bit “rough” (not as perfectly smooth). I think it might end up tasting OK still, but it just seems a little more rustic/homemade, and less refined :) So, it seems that the key for smoothest texture if you’re lazy is pounding first, and then KitchenAid afterwards!
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
Maangchi, u are simply amazing! It is such tedious work to mk fm scratch!!! Luckily for me, i can get fresh ones made by the Korean ladies here. Nothing compares to the freshly made stuff, that’s for sure! ps. Lovely outfit. U look so so cute!
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
That reminds me of how we made dumpling skin in China. Sometimes when adding water, we add in flavored water, such as the water we soak mushroom in. Sometimes we even blend spinach with a little olive oil and water in a blender and add the mixed water into the flour. Then the dough would be light green, and the rice cake would have more flavor! I am thinking of adding in the spicy sesame oil instead of the regular one to make rick cake for ddeokbokki~ ^ ^
Thanks for the recipe!
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
I used to live near a store in Seoul that made and sold fresh rice cakes every day. They were so delicious. The frozen ones I can get in Minnesota now can’t compare to the fresh ones. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and the story about your grandmother. I’m really excited to make fresh rice cakes!
MaangchiNew York Cityjoined 8/08& has 12,047 comments
Actually this recipe idea came up for those who can’t access a Korean grocery store. I had never made my own garaeddeok at home before I did some experiments to make this recipe. But I found homemade rice cake is much chewier and more delicious than store bought rice cake. I’m glad you love my grandmother’s garaeddeok making story. : )
hi aunty maangchi!!
i have made your recipe…but my dough became like a rock and the taste not chewy…
i made it twice…is it because i use blended flour??that contains corn flour+rice flour
please answer me!!
thank you :)
“because i use blended flour?” yes, I think so. Follow the recipe please. I’m afraid to say that you can’t modify the main ingredient with anything else for this recipe.
thanks :)
yes I know what flour you are using HAHAHA i used the exact same one and because I have actually made my own rice flour from maangchi’s recipe, I knew that it had to be because of the mix of the corn flour. Blend your own rice flour if you can, can’t seem to find any korean grocery store in malaysia. It’s super easy
Hi Maangchi
I’m not a Korean but I love tteokbokki very much. In my country, it’s really hard to find rice cake to make tteokbokki. I often buy rice cake at Lotte Mart, but now they don’t sell it anymore. By a chance, I read how to make rice cake on your webpage, I tried to make it at home and it’s perfect. It’s beautiful, chewy, rice fresh smell even better than Lotte Mart sold, i love it so much.
I did it twice, the first time, I pound it with a pestle, but my thumb is hurt even after 2 days ^_^. So the second time, I used “The Stand Mixer use for kneading bread dough” knead my rice cake, and it turned out great such as I used a pestle.
I write lots of words because I am too happy about my rice cake. And I really want say “THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAANGCHI”. Have a Great day! ^_^
I’m in college so I have limited resources, however I do have a standmixer! Your comment was so helpful to me because I don’t have a pestle nor do I know where to find one. Thanks for the good idea! Now I have no excuse not to make this at home, hehe :)
i pound them with my hands hahaha omg do not recommend unless you’re up for that. I used the base of my palm and it actually works damn great
Hello!!
i got the rice flour from a korean store but when i made it, it looks exactly like yours but its not very chewy its more of a soggy kind.
Thanks
I would pound the rice cake dough longer. The more pounding, the better.
I tried remaking it today and pounded alot but it still ended up very soft and not very chewy would it be my rice flour??
you need to get the FROZEN rice flour , the only kind to make this , they sell it in the fridge / freezer aisle . I had to ask the first time i tried to find this frozen rice flour . They directed me to the freezer and handed it to me , it’s cold and frozen and always has to be kept in the freezer .
Did you leave it to dry after making it? I covered mine straight up and so it was too soft the first ti e I made it (still tasty though)
HELP!
I used Dry Rice Flour but it came out a ROCK! not a dough you showed us.
Do you have any idea about the hot water measurement again for Dry Rice Flour. You used Frozen/wet rice flour, right? Then how about the Dry one? Please Help! JK
You need a right ingredient. Dried rice flour won’t work for this recipe. Check out the ingredients in the recipe please. You can buy it at a Korean store :https://www.maangchi.com/ingredient/frozen-rice-flour
Or make your own. : https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/mepssalgaru
I think you used the normal rice flour, that’s why.
Instead you are suppose to use short grain rice flour, short grain rice flour is also different from sweet rice flour. you can try looking for it in korean store or like maangchi said make it your own! :)
I made these tonight and they look great! I can’t wait to simmer them in some spicy korean sauce. I can’t believe making rice flour was so easy.
“I can’t believe making rice flour was so easy.” yay! I’m so happy to hear about your successful garaeddeok!
can i use glutinous rice flour? and how many servings of this recipe make up 1lb? i want to make ddeokguk. =] thank you
You need short grain rice flour for this rice cake. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/mepssalgaru
” i want to make ddeokguk”
Check out the step 3 in the recipe please. “This amount is for 1 serving of ddeokguk, so if you want to make two bowls of soup, make two batches.”
I love spicy rice cakes but it’s difficult to get garaeddeok in my place. Finally! a recipe on how to make garaeddeok! thanks Maangchi for sharing this! i’ll definitely make one tonight…wish me luck. (-;
Yes, yes I wish you good luck on making awesome garaeddeok. I almost hear the kong kong kong sound of you pounding your rice cake! : )
Hooray, now we can make ddeokguk in the middle of winter in Iowa, when it’s hard to drive all the way to the nearest Korean market! I made some ddeok tonight, and I have two observations:
1) I made my own rice flour according to your recipe, and maybe it wasn’t as “thirsty” as the commercial one— when I added 3/4 cup to 2 cups of flour, the result was actually quite wet and paste-like, not a crumbly dough at all! After the first couple minutes in the microwave, it was becoming quite hard and glue-like, but I just broke it up and mixed it some more and microwaved it more, and everything turned out OK in the end. I pounded it for a few minutes and then I put it in the KitchenAid with the dough hook for a couple minutes, and it got nice and smooth and elastic.
2) I had tried an earlier batch, putting it directly into the KitchenAid from the microwave, and pounding it afterwards. That didn’t work nearly as well, since the result turned out a little bit “rough” (not as perfectly smooth). I think it might end up tasting OK still, but it just seems a little more rustic/homemade, and less refined :) So, it seems that the key for smoothest texture if you’re lazy is pounding first, and then KitchenAid afterwards!
That’s a great tip! Thanks a lot!
I can’t wait to make this! rice cakes is one of my favorites! =) I miss cooking! I miss Maangchi! =)
I’m looking forward to seeing your homemade rice cake!
My ABSOLUTE favorite from when I was little, now my daughter’s favorite!
Thank you so much for sharing this :-)
I can imagine you and your little daughter enjoy the rice cake! “honey, dip it in honey like this!” : )
Maangchi, u are simply amazing! It is such tedious work to mk fm scratch!!! Luckily for me, i can get fresh ones made by the Korean ladies here. Nothing compares to the freshly made stuff, that’s for sure!
ps. Lovely outfit. U look so so cute!
“i can get fresh ones made by the Korean ladies here.” many people who read this will envy you. : )
woah…now i know how to make ddoek from scratch:) thank u
yay! let me know how yours turns out.
That reminds me of how we made dumpling skin in China. Sometimes when adding water, we add in flavored water, such as the water we soak mushroom in. Sometimes we even blend spinach with a little olive oil and water in a blender and add the mixed water into the flour. Then the dough would be light green, and the rice cake would have more flavor! I am thinking of adding in the spicy sesame oil instead of the regular one to make rick cake for ddeokbokki~ ^ ^
Thanks for the recipe!
spicy sesame oil? That’s very interesting!
I used to live near a store in Seoul that made and sold fresh rice cakes every day. They were so delicious. The frozen ones I can get in Minnesota now can’t compare to the fresh ones. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and the story about your grandmother. I’m really excited to make fresh rice cakes!
Actually this recipe idea came up for those who can’t access a Korean grocery store. I had never made my own garaeddeok at home before I did some experiments to make this recipe. But I found homemade rice cake is much chewier and more delicious than store bought rice cake.
I’m glad you love my grandmother’s garaeddeok making story. : )
HI;
Can you tell me where in Minnesota you find these – – what stores and where? I am in Saint Paul.. Thank you.
Hohoho….. I’m waiting for this recipe for a long time….. Thank you so much for share this recipes with us….. {^_^}
ina, have you made this? Good luck! ^^
ina,i’m from malaysia too..but where did you buy the grain rice flour??!