One use a lot of rice paper and typically have a stocked pantry, because it can be used in a diverse range of dishes. The fried version is particularly scrumptious, similar to other ingredients! These half-moons are packed with an aromatic chicken mince, while tteokbokki is a classic Korean recipe of springy rice cylinders that are commonly prepared in a flavorful broth. Sourcing them can sometimes be tricky, but I love them, so I make my own.
DIY Chewy Rice Tubes (pictured top)
Prep Five minutes
Cook 20 min
Makes a dozen
One packet of circular rice papers
Three tablespoons oil
Six cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
45ml of gochujang paste
30ml of soy sauce
To serve
Sesame oil
Scallions, finely sliced
Toasted sesame seeds
Submerge each round of rice paper in a lipped plate of cold water, soaking until pliable.
Roll each one into a log, then divide into halves and set aside.
Put the oil in a wide pan on a medium heat and, when it's heated, add the chopped garlic and fry.
When the garlic becomes fragrant and colored, add approximately 750ml cold water, the spicy paste and soy sauce, and simmer for five minutes.
Place the prepared rolls into the pan and simmer for five to eight minutes, until they soften and the sauce thickens.
Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil and a garnish of chopped green onions and a few sesame seeds.
Chicken Half-Moons
Prep 5 min
Cook 30 minutes
Makes half a dozen
Approximately 1.1lbs of chicken mince
One teaspoon garlic paste
5ml of ginger paste
A couple of scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
5ml of salt
3 tsp chilli flakes
A single egg
Half a dozen rice paper wrappers
Frying oil, to fry in
Hot sauce, to serve
Place the ground chicken in a bowl, then mix in the pastes of garlic and ginger, sliced spring onions, salt and crushed chillies.
Crack in the egg and blend thoroughly.
Get a lipped plate and add some cold water.
Dunk a rice paper sheet in the water and soak until soft – it softens almost instantly.
Put the softened sheet on a cutting board, add approximately one-sixth of the mixture on a single side of the paper, then spread it out thinly, keeping a small edge.
Fold the other half of paper to encase the filling, then crimp the edges to seal.
Do the same with the rest of the five rice paper sheets and filling.
Add sufficient oil into the base of a frying pan so that the bottom is coated.
Put on a high heat and, when hot, gently lower in the half-moons a couple at once and fry until crisp and golden.
After a few minutes, flip them over and brown the reverse.
Continue with the rest of the parcels.
Serve hot or warm with a preferred spicy condiment.
