Chapssaltteok (Korean-style Mochi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet rice flour (mochiko)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• Food coloring or 1 tsp. matcha powder (optional)
• Red bean paste (shaped into 8 balls, about 1-in. in diameter)

Directions

1. Place rice flour, salt, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. In a bowl add a drop of food coloring or the matcha powder to the water and mix well.
3. Add the water to the rice flour mixture and mix it well with a spoon. Push the dough to the center of the bowl.
4. Cover the dough with Saran wrap (with a slit cut into it to vent steam) and cook on high for 3 minutes in the microwave.
5. Remove the rice cake from the microwave and mix it with a wooden spoon for about 20 seconds.
6. Cover it with the Saran wrap again and put it back in the microwave for another minute.
7. Knead the hot rice cake with a wooden spoon vigorously in a circular motion about 100 times to make it chewy.
8. Spread 1/4 cup of starch powder on your cutting board and put the rice cake on it.
9. Shape into a smooth 4×5 inch rectangle (10 cm x 12 cm) with wet hands and turn it over.
10. Cut the rectangle into 8 even sized pieces with a wooden knife or spatula, and cover with Saran wrap to keep them from getting dried out.
11. Take one piece of rice cake and flatten it into a round circle about 2-1/2 inch (6.5 cm) in diameter.
12. Add a sweet red bean ball to the middle of the piece of rice cake. Pull the rice cake over the ball and seal it by pinching the edges with your fingers.
    *Tip: Use starch powder to keep the rice cake from sticking to your fingers.
13. Repeat this until you’ve made 8 pieces of chapssaltteok.
14. Refrigerate until serving.