What are Rice Cake Ovalettes (Tteokguk Tteok) ?
Rice Cake Ovalettes (Tteokguk Tteok) are thinly sliced Garaetteok rice cakes that are used to make Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup).
Garaetteok is made by steaming regular rice flour into a dough that is repeatedly pounded and rolled until smooth. Then either rolling it by hand or extruding it with a machine to produce cylindrical bars. "Garae" refers to round ceiling beams. Garaetteok is then sliced thinly into ovalettes and that's what you see here.
These are typically added to broth to make Tteokguk and is then called Tteokguk Tteok. Different from other tteoks in which are mostly sweet and are eaten as snacks. While they can be made at home, it is best to purchase pre-made ones from the store which can come fresh, refrigerated or frozen.
Here's a picture of Garaetteok (the cylindrical rice cake) that I bought from our local tteok store.
And then here's how that is cut into thin ovals.
The garaetteok needs to be dried for a day or so to harden it and then you can cut into slices for Tteokguk tteok (rice cake soup). You can read more about Garaetteok HERE.
Not To Be Confused With
Tteokbokki Tteok (pic above) or any other tteok (rice cake) that's sweet and meant to be consumed as a snack.
Where and What To Buy
Korean or Asian Grocery store - in the refrigerated section, freezer section or if it's big city grocery store, you may be able to buy fresh ones that's made daily from the local tteok maker (Tteok Jip 떡집).
How to Use/Cook
Rice Cake Ovalettes are tteok mainly used to make Korean New Year's soup - Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup).
But, you can use these thin slices to make the following
- Spicy Tteokbokki
- Mild Gungjung Tteokbokki
- Budae Jjigae
- or add to instant Ramyeon 라면
When using frozen tteok, it's best to soak in cold water for few minutes first before cooking.
How to Clean/Store
Refrigerate up to 2-3 days and then freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition/Health Info
- high in carbs, low in fiber
