Hotteok , a panfriedyeastdough that encase a sugary , gooey filling , is a popular fresh treat in Korea . Traditionally made by street vendors during cold winter atmospheric condition , the olfactory property of this ultimate comfortableness solid food — chewy on the interior and crispy on the exterior — draws customers to hotteok stalls like a fond clinch on a cold day .
Hotteok is consider to have been adapted from a crepe - like street vendor dish known as ' jian bing ' that , as other as1882 , was land toKoreaby Chinese merchants and soldier sent to aid in the war with Japan . While bing was a crepe - like flannel cake made with mung bean batsman , by the 1950s and 1960s , Korean vendors were using a batsman made of pale yellow flour , sweet-scented rice flour , cabbage and yeast to achieve the soft and chewy grain of hotteok . The hotteok dough would be wrapped around the filling , which was typically a mixture of brownish sugar , cinnamon and ground groundnut , and then flattened on a griddle to brown both sides before serving .
This humble street food is experiencing a resurgence , showing up ontrendy afters menusand inhome kitchensalike . While hotteok is nostalgic to some and a Book of Revelation to others , its preparation remain for the most part the same — although it is sometimes nowdeep - friedand cold shoulder open to insert the syrupy smorgasbord of sugar , spice and nuts .
Hotteok that contains source , such as sesame and sunflower seeds , in place of monkey nut is known asssiat hotteok . In addition , there are a bit of modern magnetic variation that feature piquant fillings ranging from tall mallow or vegetables to crimson beans orjapchae , which is a mixture of sweet potato noodles stir - fried with vegetables and meat . The dough itself is sometimes updated to includematcha , which is a fine ground powder made of green teatime leaves .
At - house recipes for hotteok often skip the increase of sweet rice flour , sacrifice a second of the chewiness of the dough . nigh all menage recipe call for the Korean pancakes to be eaten the same sidereal day for the best taste and grain , although they can be put in one or two day at room temperature and make a delectable next - day breakfast or after - schooling collation .
A caution for those eating red-hot - off - the - griddle hotteok : Beware of the liquefied filling , which is oh - so - scrumptious , but can burn the tongue .
