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Garaetteok for good luck and glorious recipes

▲ Sometimes the famed garaetteok is slightly grilled and served with honey for dipping and coffee for sipping.

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　This year Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) is about two weeks earlier than last year. No matter the day, a staple dish of the holiday is garaetteok (rice cake stick). It is a long thin white rice cake. Due to its shape, it has often been considered a dish that brings luck and longevity, similar to the long noodles eaten in China and Japan.
　When locals hear the word "rice cake," they automatically think about garaetteok, as it's considered one of the most popular and common rice cakes in Korea. Due to its versatility, many recipes include this Korean delicacy. Dynamic Busan is here to introduce you to three such recipes.

▲ The oval slices of rice cake are tender and chewy.

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Tteokguk
　There is a national tradition to have tteokguk (sliced rice cake soup) on Korean Lunar New Year. The custom is derived from the belief that eating the soup makes you one year older.
　The dish is made by slicing the rice cake and boiling it in broth until soft. The broth varies according to region. Overall, it is light and savory, making it different from many other Korean soups, which tend to be on the spicy side.

※ Ingredients (two servings)  garaetteok, beef bone stock, one egg, soy sauce, salt, sesame oil and garnish (optional)

1. Soak the rice cakes in cool water for about 25 minutes   2. Bring beef stock to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan   3. While the broth is boiling, add the rice cakes   4. Turn off the heat and season to taste with soy sauce or salt   5. Gently break a raw egg into the soup   6. As the egg cooks, add a dash of sesame oil and garnish

 

▲ Enjoy the snack with chilli sauce, ketchup or mustard.

Sotteoksotteok
　The garaetteok itself tastes bland because it is made of only rice and salt. The simple components make it the perfect ingredient for multiple dishes.
　Sotteoksotteok (sausage and rice cake skewers) packs a punch. The "so" sound stands for "sausage" and the "tteok" is for the "garaetteok." The  treat is popular among kids and teens for its complementary textures and versatility, when it comes to dipping sauce options.

※ Ingredients (one serving)  garaetteok, sausages, oil, red pepper paste, corn syrup, minced garlic, ketchup and soy sauce

1. Boil the rice cakes and sausages in water for one to two minutes   2. Once finished, layer them on a wooden skewer   3. Sear the skewers in a pan with oil   4. Once browned, remove them from the pan and let them sit   5. Lightly stir-fry the red pepper paste, syrup, garlic, ketchup and soy sauce with the leftover oil   6. Apply the mixture to the skewers and enjoy

▲ Multteok is an easy yet tasty.

Multteok

　During winter, you may find the local multteok (rice cake in broth) along the streets of Busan. Multteok is considered one of the easiest foods to make with garaetteok.
　This elongated type of rice cake is found in many local dishes, but it is not easy to find in other cities. When they are found, they are most commonly sitting in broth beside eomuk (fish cake) skewers at street stalls and tents.

※ Ingredients (two servings)  garaetteok, fishcakes, anchovies, green onions, radishes and soy sauce (optional)

1. Make the broth by bringing a mixture of water, anchovies, green onions and radishes to a boil   2. Place the rice cakes and fish-cakes on different skewers and add them to the soup   3. Bring the dish to a simmer   4. Once fully cooked, dip the skewered cakes into a sauce of your preference       (soy sauce is most commonly used)