Sangae-tteok (Jeju Barley Steamed Bun)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Kitchen scale
• •Large mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook
• •Small heavy pot for red beans
• •Steamer basket or multi-tier steamer
• •12 parchment squares, about 4 inches each
• •Clean cotton cloth for wrapping the steamer lid

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   Put the rinsed red beans in a small pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the beans. That first boil takes away the harsh, beany edge. Return the beans to the pot with 3 cups fresh water and simmer 45 to 55 minutes, adding a little more water only if the pot runs dry. They are ready when one bean crushes easily between thumb and finger.

2. 2

   Thicken the filling

   Drain the beans well, saving 2 tablespoons of their cooking liquid. Mash the beans with the sugar, jocheong if using, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook the mash over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until it holds in a soft mound and a spoon dragged through it leaves a clear path. Loose filling bursts the seam, so don't hurry this part. Cool completely, then divide into 12 balls of about 30g each.

3. 3

   Wake the makgeolli

   Stir the makgeolli, warm water, and 25g sugar together in a bowl and let it stand 10 minutes. If the surface grows foamy and smells gently sour, it is alive. If it sits flat, stir in the instant yeast now. Warm means body-warm, not hot; heat kills the very thing you are asking to raise the dough.

   Buy saeng-makgeolli (unpasteurized makgeolli) from the refrigerated case when you can. Shelf-stable makgeolli may taste fine, but it usually will not raise dough by itself.
4. 4

   Mix the dough

   Whisk the barley flour, all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Pour in the makgeolli mixture and the oil, then stir until no dry flour remains. Knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes on low speed with a dough hook. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, with barley flecks showing. If it cracks at the edges, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it slumps like batter, dust in 1 tablespoon flour.

5. 5

   Let it rise

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until puffy and about one and a half times its size. Barley dough is modest. Don't wait for a dramatic doubling, because it may overferment before it ever reaches that height. The right dough smells of grain and rice wine, and a pressed finger leaves a slow dent.

6. 6

   Fill the buns

   Cut 12 parchment squares, each about 4 inches wide. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 pieces, about 70 to 75g each. Flatten one piece into a 4-inch round, leaving the center a little thicker than the edge. Set one red bean ball in the center, gather the dough up around it, and pinch the seam closed firmly. Set it seam-side down on parchment. Cover the shaped buns as you work so the surfaces don't dry.

7. 7

   Rest before cooking

   Arrange the buns in a steamer with at least 2 inches between them. Let them rest 20 to 25 minutes while the water comes to a strong boil below. Wrap the steamer lid in a clean cotton cloth if your lid drips. Water falling onto the dough makes pitted, heavy tops, and after all that waiting, that would be a small tragedy.

8. 8

   Steam the buns

   Set the steamer over the boiling water and cook 16 to 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Keep the boil steady but not violent, so the buns cook through without the water jumping into the basket. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed 2 minutes, then open it slowly. That short rest keeps the skins from wrinkling too hard.

9. 9

   Serve and keep

   Serve the buns warm or at room temperature. The surface should be tender and slightly springy, the crumb close and barley-fragrant, the red bean sweet enough to mark a holiday but not so sweet that the grain disappears. For a ritual table, set them whole. For the family after, tear one open and let everyone see the filling.

Chef Tips

• •Fine barley flour matters. Do not use sweetened misugaru (roasted mixed-grain powder) unless you want a different bun. If your barley flour is coarse, sift it and save the coarse bits for porridge.
• •The filling must cool before shaping. Warm red bean softens the dough, and soft dough around warm filling tears. This is not your hands failing; it is heat working against you.
• •A prepared Korean red bean paste is a safe shortcut for a tired day. Use 360g total, portioned into 12 balls of 30g each, and choose one that is thick enough to roll. If it is glossy and loose, cook it down for a few minutes before using.
• •Don't chase cottony bread softness. Sangae-tteok should be tender, a little dense, and clearly made from barley. Let it taste like itself.

Advance Preparation

• •The red bean filling can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring it back to cool room temperature before shaping so it does not stiffen and tear the dough.
• •After the first rise, the dough can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Shape it while cool, then let the filled buns stand 40 to 60 minutes before steaming.
• •Cooked buns keep 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen. Reheat by steaming 8 minutes from refrigerated, or 12 to 14 minutes from frozen, until the centers are soft again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 105g)