Happy Year of the Dragon! I am currently in Bangkok, where the official celebration of Lunar New Year is not as massive as in Korea or Hong Kong. Nevertheless, I decided to infuse the festive spirit into my surroundings by exploring the world of traditional Korean New Year food, specifically the creation of pan-fried meat and vegetable patties known as “dong-geu-rang-ttaeng” – a delectable dish with a name more complex than its taste. This snack, challenging to pronounce, is often prepared by a few women, one of whom takes charge and directs the others. In my household, that assertive woman is usually my mom, as my late grandma is no longer with us.
Seeking guidance from my mother on the dong-geu-rang-ttaeng process, I received a list of ingredients without detailed instructions – a timeless approach to cooking in Korea. Undeterred, I took a leap of faith, relying on my palate and memory to gauge the appropriate ratios. Regarding the recipe, I’m providing a flexible range, as the essence of these patties lies in collaborative effort rather than precise measurements. Who needs precision? Cooking for festive occasion like this should be an enjoyable experience, not a meticulous task after all. Like many traditional Korean culinary delights, this dish is quite labor-intensive. It is all about teamwork, sharing the load, and having a good time in the kitchen.
In an attempt to streamline the process, I incorporated a food processor – my grandma’s probably shaking her head at me from the afterlife. But I prioritize efficiency. Traditional doesn’t always have to mean complicated. I prefer to preserve the essence of dong-geu-rang-ttaeng without fuss.
As the aroma of dong-geu-rang-ttaeng wafts through my kitchen and dining room, I feel proud to have created a permanent record of this recipe. It’s not just food; it’s a slice of my family’s story. Even if you don’t celebrate Lunar New Year as we do, these mouth-watering round fritters are a crowd-pleaser on any occasion. And if you make a little too many, just freeze the rest for storage. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as I did. And if you can, make it a family or group activity with fun gossips. And if you want to know more about traditional Korean new year food, check out this post. Here’s to keeping it chill and embracing the tasty chaos of tradition!
For patties:
- 300-320g/10.6-11.3oz. ground beef
- 300-320g/10.6-11.3oz. ground pork
- 180-200g/6.3-7oz. carrot
- 130-150g/4.6-5.3oz. white onion
- 9-10 garlic cloves
- 50g/1.8oz. spring onion
- 70-80g/2.5-2.8oz. shiitake mushroom
- 300g/10.6oz. firm tofu
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. mirin
- 2 tsp. all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. corn flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp. ground white pepper
- 1 – 1 1/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger or 2 tsp. ground ginger
Additional for Coating:
- A few more eggs
- Some more all-purpose flour
For dipping Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
- 3 tsp. mirin
- 3 tsp. vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- a few pinches of chili powder
- a sprinkle of chopped spring onion
Roughly chop the carrot and garlic. Grate them in a food processor until they are fine enough for the patties, as shown in the image above.
While slicing an onion may bring tears to your eyes, grating it in a food processor releases too much water. I enlisted my husband to chop them finely. If you don’t have anyone else to help, wear a pair of goggles and chop slowly to prevent the vegetables from releasing too much water.
Finely chop the spring onion and mushrooms.
Mix the chopped vegetables with the ground meat in a large bowl. Squeeze as much water as possible from the tofu and add it to the bowl.
Combine the eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, all-purpose flour, corn flour, salt, white pepper, and ginger into the mixture.
Shape the mixture into round patties that are 5 x 1.3cm / 2 x 1/2 inch thick – the volume of one patty should be a little less than 1/4 cup.
Coat the patties in all-purpose flour, then in beaten eggs, and set them aside.
Heat sunflower oil over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan. Cook the patties until they are golden, approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Gently press the patties while cooking to flatten slightly and ensure even thickness. I estimate that the mixture yields about 42 patties in total. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly how many I ate in the process of cooking, but I’m pretty sure I got at least 40 :-).
Place them on a kitchen towel for a few minutes to remove excess grease and serve them with dipping sauce when ready.
