Many home cooks regularly utilize a lot of rice paper and make sure to have a good supply, because it can be used in a multitude of applications. The fried version is particularly scrumptious, which is true for many foods! These half-moons are filled with an seasoned chicken mixture, while tteokbokki is a popular Korean specialty of springy rice cylinders that are typically simmered in a sauce. They are not always easy to find, however, they are adored, so I make my own.
Homemade Rice Paper Tteokbokki (pictured top)
Prep Five min
Cook 20 min
Makes 12
134g pack dried rice paper sheets
3 tbsp oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Three tablespoons gochujang paste
30ml of soy sauce
To serve
Toasted sesame oil
Scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seeds
Briefly soak each wrapper of rice paper in a bowl of cold water, letting them soften.
Roll each one into a log, then slice into two and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wide pan on a moderate flame and, when it’s hot, add the diced garlic and fry.
As soon as the garlic turns brown, add 750ml cold water, the Korean chili paste and soy sauce, and simmer for five minutes.
Drop the rice paper rolls into the pan and allow to cook for several minutes, until they become tender and take on color.
Finish with a splash of sesame oil and a garnish of chopped green onions and some sesame seeds.
Savory Chicken Crescents
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Makes half a dozen
Approximately 1.1lbs of chicken mince
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
A couple of scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
15ml of chilli flakes
One egg
Six rice paper sheets
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Your favorite spicy sauce, for serving
Place the ground chicken in a bowl, then add the pastes of garlic and ginger, sliced spring onions, salt and red pepper flakes.
Introduce the egg and mix until everything is well combined.
Take a plate with a rim and add some cold water.
Briefly immerse a rice paper circle in the water and leave it until pliable – this will take only a few seconds.
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 seal the border to seal.
Repeat with with the remaining five rice paper sheets and filling.
Heat a layer of oil into the base of a skillet so that it covers the surface.
Heat it up on a high setting and, when hot, carefully add the half-moons a couple at once and fry until crisp and golden.
Once one side is done, gently flip over and fry the second side.
Repeat with the remaining half-moons.
Enjoy immediately while warm with a preferred spicy condiment.
