Sesame Songpyeon

A firm and elastic rice dough hiding a crunchy sesame heart. Steaming reveals a woody pine needle scent that infuses every bite of these glossy crescent cakes.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 501
• Protein: 10 g
• Carbs: 69 g
• Fat: 20 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Rice flour ( sifted )
• 200 ml Mineral water ( boiling )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 50 g Sesame seed ( toasted )
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 50 g Fresh pine needles ( washed and dried )

Instructions

1. Dough preparation

   Mix the rice flour and sea salt. Gradually pour in the boiling mineral water. Knead vigorously until the texture is supple, similar to an earlobe. The dough should be smooth and no longer stick to your fingers.

2. Making the filling

   Dry toast the sesame seeds until they pop in the pan. Coarsely grind them in a mortar to release the oil. Mix with brown sugar and honey to form a thick paste.

3. Shaping the crescents

   Form walnut-sized balls. Hollow out the center with your thumb and place a small amount of filling inside. Close and press to remove air, then shape into a clean crescent moon.

4. Steaming

   Line the steamer basket with pine needles. Arrange the cakes so they don't touch. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes. The dough should become slightly translucent and firm to the touch.

5. Glossy finishing

   Immediately plunge the cakes into cold mineral water to stop the cooking and set the texture. Drain and coat with sesame oil. They should be glossy and no longer sticky.

Chef's tips

• If the dough cracks during shaping, add a few drops of boiling water.
• Don't skip the cold water bath; it's what gives the rice its unique elastic bounce.

Storage

Best eaten on the same day. Can be kept for 24 hours at room temperature under a damp cloth.