Songpyeon (Korean Sesame Rice Cakes)

Name: Songpyeon (Korean Sesame Rice Cakes)
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 300g glutinous rice flour; 0.5 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp matcha powder, optional, for green cakes; 220ml hot water, just off the boil; 50g toasted sesame seeds; 3 tbsp clear honey; 0.25 tsp fine salt, for the filling; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 baking parchment sheet

Little half moon rice cakes with a sweet sesame and honey centre, steamed until soft and chewy for Chuseok.

Time1 hr
LevelMedium
Costabout £0.57 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 rice cakes

Ingredients

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300 gglutinous rice flour
½ tspfine salt
1 tspmatcha powderoptional, for green cakes
220 mlhot waterjust off the boil
50 gtoasted sesame seeds
3 tbspclear honey
¼ tspfine saltfor the filling
1 tbsptoasted sesame oil
1baking parchment sheet

Method

1
For the filling, crush the sesame seeds roughly with a pestle or the back of a spoon. Mix in the honey and a pinch of salt to make a thick paste.
2
Mix the rice flour, salt and matcha in a bowl. Pour in the hot water a little at a time, stirring with a spoon, then knead for 5 minutes while still warm until smooth like soft play dough. Cover with a damp cloth.
3
Pinch off walnut sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Make a hole with your thumb and press the dough into a small cup shape.
4
Put 1 teaspoon of filling inside, fold the dough over and pinch the edge closed. Gently shape into a half moon with a slight point at each end.
5
Line a steamer with the baking parchment and punch a few holes in it. Brush it lightly with sesame oil and set the cakes on top without touching.
6
Steam over boiling water for 20 minutes, until the cakes look glossy and feel soft and bouncy.
20 min
7
Plunge into cold water for a few seconds, drain, then toss in the remaining sesame oil so they do not stick. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.