Many home cooks use a lot of rice paper and typically have a stocked pantry, as it can be used in a wide variety of ways. The fried version is particularly scrumptious, as are most things! These savory pockets are filled with an aromatic chicken mince, while tteokbokki is a classic Korean recipe of springy rice cylinders that are commonly prepared in a flavorful broth. They are not always easy to find, but I love them, so I create my own version.
Rice Paper Tteokbokki (pictured top)
Prep Five minutes
Cook Twenty min
Makes 12
A standard pack containing dried rice paper sheets
45ml of oil
6 garlic cloves, minced after peeling
3 tbsp gochujang paste
30ml of soy sauce
To serve
Sesame oil
Spring onions, finely sliced
Toasted sesame seeds
Submerge each round of rice paper in a bowl of cold water, submerging them until soft.
Roll each one into a log, then cut in half and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wide pan on a medium heat and, when it's heated, add the diced garlic and fry.
Once the garlic is golden, add approximately 750ml cold water, gochujang paste and the soy sauce, and let it bubble for five minutes.
Place the prepared rolls into the pan and allow to cook for several minutes, until the rolls are coloured and soft.
Finish with a splash of sesame oil and a sprinkling of thinly cut scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Savory Chicken Crescents
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, sliced
One teaspoon salt
Three teaspoons chilli flakes
One egg
6 rice paper circles
Frying oil, for frying
Hot sauce, as an accompaniment
Place the ground chicken in a bowl, then mix in the garlic and ginger pastes, sliced spring onions, salt and red pepper flakes.
Introduce the egg and mix until everything is well combined.
Get a lipped plate and add some cold water.
Briefly immerse a rice paper circle in the water and leave it until pliable – it softens almost instantly.
Put the softened sheet on a cutting board, add approximately one-sixth of the mixture on half of the paper, then spread it out thinly, leaving a 1cm border.
Cover it with the remaining half of paper to encase the filling, then crimp the edges 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.
Place over high heat and, when hot, carefully add the half-moons a couple at once and pan-fry until browned and crunchy.
After a few minutes, carefully turn them and brown the reverse.
Repeat with the remaining half-moons.
Enjoy immediately while warm with your favourite hot sauce.
