Youngyang chaltteok (영양 찰떡) is one of the easiest rice cakes you can make at home! Young-yang means healthy, and chal-tteok refers to sticky, chewy rice cakes that are made with glutinous rice (sweet rice) flour/powder, chapssal garu (찹쌀가루). It’s also called by its short name youngyang tteok (or dduk).
The tradition of rice cakes goes back to ancient Korea. There are literally hundreds of varieties of rice cakes made with all sorts of grains. While enjoyed everyday as a snack, light meal, dessert, or in savory dishes such as tteokguk (soup), and tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried), rice cakes are a big part of the special occasion and holiday food traditions.
For special days, Korean homes prepare several varieties of rice cakes in addition to the must-have type such as songpyeon for Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving/autumn harvest festival).
The sweet rice flour (chapssal garu)
I use wet sweet rice (aka glutinous rice) flour/powder, chapssal garu (찹쌀가루), which is sold frozen in the freezer section of Korean markets around here. If unavailable, you can make wet powder at home by soaking sweet rice and finely grinding in a blender. See the note section of the recipe card below.
If you’re familiar with Korean rice cakes, this is the type of rice flour used to make other popular rice cakes such as injeolmi (인절미), red bean chapssaltteok (찹쌀떡), etc.
Fillings
For this chaltteok, black soybeans (called seoritae, 서리태, or gumjeongkong, 검정콩 ), dried jujube (Korean dates, daechu, 대추), and dried pumpkin (hobak ogari, 호박오가리) are traditional ingredients. These days, it’s loaded with various nuts and/or other dried fruits such as raisins and dried persimmons (gotgam, 곶감), hence the name youngyang (healthy) tteok.
You can throw in any soaked dried beans, or even canned kidney beans (rinsed) instead of black soybeans. For nuts, I used chestnuts and walnuts. Other options are pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.
If you’re in Korea, new crop dried persimmons are in season by now, which will be excellent in this recipe. Also, dried pumpkin (hobak ogari) is commercially available in Korea, but not around here! So, I just slice up a kabocha and dry it in my dehydrator for a couple of hours. You can air dry them for a day or two if you don’t have a dehydrator. Dried pumpkin tastes sweeter and holds up its texture better when cooked.
Though not traditional, my secret ingredient is almond meal! One day, I added some almond meal, leftover from my daughter’s macaron baking, to use it up and really liked the results. It adds a nutty flavor to the rice cake while slightly loosening up the dense texture, but it’s absolutely optional!
This recipe is very flexible! You can vary the amounts of the rice powder or other ingredients. Any combination of sweet rice powder, some beans, nuts, and dried fruits will give you tasty, healthy rice cakes!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup soaked black soybeans (1/2 cup dry) seoritae, 서리태 (or kidney beans)
- 12 jujubes dried Korean dates, daechu, 대추 (or 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries or persimmons)
- 1/2 cup dried kabocha or other type of pumpkin - optional - See note 1
- 10 chestnuts quartered
- 1/2 cup walnuts quartered
- 5 cups wet sweet rice flour defrosted at room temperature, if frozen - See note 2
- 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons if you like it less sweet
- ⅓ cup almond meal - optional
Instructions
- Prepare the beans by soaking in warm water for a few hours. Rinse the jujubes and cut each one around the seed into 3 to 4 pieces. Rinse the optional dried kabocha and rehydrate by adding a tablespoon or two of water at a time, until softened. Prepare the nuts.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, sugar, and the optional almond meal. Mix well by hand or a whisk until everything is well incorporated. Add 2 tablespoons of water and rub the powder between your palms, breaking the big clumps, to evenly distribute the moisture. You don’t need to try to break up small clumps.
- Add all the other ingredients and gently toss to combine everything.
- Fill a steamer (or a pot) with water two thirds of the way. Prepare the steamer insert (or bamboo steamer) with a wet linen/cotton cloth (or cheesecloth). Turn the heat on. When it starts to steam, add the mixture to the steamer insert with a large spoon. Even the top out, but do not pack. If your cloth hangs down low, fold it over to cover the mixture. Unless using a bamboo steamer, fully cover the top with another cloth before putting the lid on. (This will prevent the water generated by steam from dripping on the rice cake.)
- Steam for 30 minutes, and then remove the steamer insert from the heat.
- When it’s cool enough to handle, flip it over onto a cutting board. Remove the cloth.
- Shape the rice cake to a rectangle if desired. Wet your hands before touching the rice cake. Cut into serving size pieces.
- Keep it in an airtight container if serving within a day or two. To store for a longer period, individually wrap and freeze the rice cake. For best results, do this within a few hours of making. Simply leave it out at room temperature until it softens before serving, or you can briefly defrost it in the microwave.
Sharon says
Do you think I could just use regular cooked kabocha instead of dried? I’ve never seen dried kabocha, but I can find the whole vegetable at my store and roast it.
Thanks for the recipe! It looks delicious.
Hyosun says
You can use raw kabocha slices, but they will get mushy after being cooked. Dried pumpkin holds up its texture better when cooked, which is why dried pumpkin and jujube are traditionally used in rice cakes. You can slice up a kabocha slices (about 1/3-inch thick and 2 to 3-inch long) and dry it in a dehydrator for a couple of hours. You can also air dry them for a couple of days if you don’t have a dehydrator.
Jane says
My mom used to make this kind of dduk in my teens (40 years ago!), But everyone got busy and we stopped having it. I have asked my mom for the recipe, but because of our language barrier it was hard to get her recipe, so thank you. I’ll make it for my own children and will surprise my mom with it too!
Hyosun says
So happy to hear this recipe will help you make your childhood food for your family. Your mom will be impressed.
Hanna says
Hyosun, thank you for taking the time to publish your recipes. My 89 year old mother cried after tasting my dduk. She couldn’t believe that I would go through all the trouble to making her favorite dish. There is nothing I would not do for my mother, being able to cook for her has been so easy with your guidance. I came to the US when I was 4 years old and am now 58. I have only started to cook Korean food in the last 4 years and am shocked how easily I remember from watching my mom as a little girl and what I don’t know I have learned from you. I am forever grateful for your dedication to your blog. If ever you are in Los Angeles, I would love if you held a kimchi making class. My mom still makes her own kimchi….. I don’t know what I will do when she is gone. I would love to prepare some kimchi myself and present to her. Thank you for all you do.
Hyosun says
Hi Hanna! Aww such precious moments with mom! That’s how we all learn – watching our moms and eating their food. And I’m so happy to be a small part of your cooking for mom. Look forward to the time we all can travel again and hold fun events like kimchi making!
Hanna says
My local H Mart did not carry nor were they aware of “frozen wet sweet rice flour”, they gave me two options, Mochiko (a Japanese brand of sweet rice flour or “Chapssal garu” would either if these work? Would I use the same amount of water as the defrosted sweet rice flour?
Hanna says
Can I dry the Kambocha in the iven?
What temp and how long?
Can I use the sweet rice flour??? I think there is a brand called Mochiko?
Janie says
Everytime I’ve tried making rice flower, once wetting it, it begins to feel like sand and not hold together. I’m not sure how I mess it up.
Hyosun says
Are you using sweet rice powder, chapssalgaru?
Gina says
Thank you for all your fabulous recipes! Do you cook the kabocha at all before dehydrating it?
Hyosun says
No you don’t need to cook them before dehydrating.
Anna leones says
I’ve been looking for sundaeguk reci0e but i cannot find any. Can i request u ppst a sundaeguk recipe. I miss that food already. I always eat that when i was still in korea most of the time when its winter i eat that after may night shift work thats my breakfast. Please post a saubdaeguk recipe. Thank u so muc
Christine (Vermilion Roots) says
I really want to eat this! Love that it’s made of healthful ingredients. Someday I will try making it. 🙂
Hyosun says
This is a favorite of mine. Healthy comfort food! Thanks for stopping by Christine!
Belle says
I would like to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Gennie says
Thank you for this lovely recipe. Can I use regular glutinous rice flour? And will I need to add water if I use that?
Can you share more sweet rice cake recipes? I just love them!
Hyosun says
It’s not traditional and will a little different but you can. Yes you will need to add water to sufficiently wet the flour. I wish I know how much water to add, but I will need to try it to know. I love rice cakes and making them. I will definitely share more. Cheers!
Mina Adams says
I remember eating Korean rice cake called “Si-Roo-Tteok.” I would love to have the recipe for it. Thank you so much!
Gisela says
After had successfully tried different of your recipies, I’m definitely gonna try this~ alooks amazing~ Thank you~!
Hyosun says
Yes, and since you’re in Korea, you will have no problem finding all the ingredients. I make this quite often, and everyone of my family and friends loves it!
Gisela says
Sure~ You’re right! I live here and I’m gonna take advantage of that fact~?
Shannon Harris says
mmmm, this looks so delicious! I want to try this sometime!
Hyosun says
Yes, it’s really good! Staple at my house. Hope you get to make it soon.
Jane Lee says
Thank you so much for posting these lovely recipes. I am Korean American living in Los Angeles. Your Korean recipes are easy to follow and my finished dishes are always successful. Your website always brings my heart closer to my birth country, Korea. Thank you.
Hyosun says
You’re so welcome, Jane! It’s my great pleasure to share. So happy to hear my recipes helpful. Thank you so much for leaving me comments to let me know. Your words mean a lot to me!