Hoddeok 호떡

yup, a korean recipe.. :) i've been stuck with everything korean for the past month, hahaha. not that this was a new thing for me, i always been a fan of it since the first time Song Hye Kyo came out to the TV until now it's Song Ji Hyo's turn or when it was Won Bin and now Woo Bin (if you know what i mean). well, long story short, the craze goes on and now i'm trying to make many korean dishes at home. i found it rather hard to gather the ingredients because all of them are very rare, i had to go to a special korean groceries to buy some of them, or even asked my friend who's going to korea next month to buy me some. hahaha. but this hoddeok (read: hot-tok) is the simplest one i could find and make.

this almost pancake-like cakes is a very famous street food there in Korea. it is best served hot so the gooey syrupy filling on the inside still puts on its justice. the dough is a simple bread dough and the filling consists of cinnamon, brown sugar, and walnuts.

i got this recipe from Maangchi, a korean food-blog which i found ultimately interesting and helpful. the blog contains of mostly korean food with clear and elaborative recipe (also video!). so, all of you who is also under the same symptoms as me, i bet you'll find it 'daebak' as well. ;)

Hoddeok
original recipe from Maangchi

dough:
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs vegetable oil
2 cups all purpose flour

filling, mix together:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

directions:

1. combine water, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil in a medium bowl. stir well.
2. add in flour, mix with hands or rice scoop or wooden spoon until incorporated.
3. cover with damp clothes or plastic wrap, let rise for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. then knead to remove the gas inside. cover and let rise for another 10-20 minutes.
4. divide the dough into 8, round them on a lightly floured surface, you may flour your hands too if you find the dough is too sticky to the touch.
5. flatten each dough and fill with the filling, seal the dough and round them again.
6. heat up your frying pan with some oil over medium heat. place one cake on the pan and cook for 30 seconds. when the bottom of the dough ball is light golden brown, turn it over and press the dough with a spatula to make a thin and wide circle (about the size of a CD). let it cook for 1 minute until the bottom is golden brown.
7. turn it over again and turn the heat down very low. place the lid on the pan and cook for 1 more minute. the brown sugar mixture will be melted into syrup. serve hot.