teok

Teok, also written tteok, refers to a broad family of Korean rice cakes made from steamed rice flour or glutinous rice flour. Traditional teok is prepared by steaming rice dough, which can then be pounded to create a soft, sticky texture or molded into various shapes. Some varieties are made with non-glutinous rice or mixed grains, and sweet or savory flavorings are common.

The preparation methods vary by type. Steamed, pounded teok such as garetteok are formed into long cylindrical sticks and often served sliced. Injeolmi is produced by pounding glutinous rice flour and coating the resulting pieces with sesame seeds. Chapssaltteok uses sweet fillings, such as red bean paste, wrapped in a thin rice cake, while baekseolgi and related forms are steamed white cakes used in ceremonial contexts.

Common varieties include garetteok, used in both everyday confection and the spicy dish tteokbokki; songpyeon, half-moon shaped and traditionally steamed on pine needles for the autumn harvest festival Chuseok; injeolmi, sesame-coated rice cake; and chapssaltteok, filled with sweet red bean paste. These cakes can be sweet or savory, and their textures range from chewy to very soft.

Cultural significance is central in Korea. Teok is prepared for lunar New Year celebrations, weddings, ancestral rites, and other milestones, and it is frequently given as a gift. It is enjoyed year-round as a dessert or snack and remains an important symbol of Korean culinary heritage. Regional variations reflect local ingredients and ceremonial traditions.