If you’re a lover of Sabudana Khichdi like me, it’s likely you’ll also be a fan of other starchy foods. Starchy foods tend to have a chewy texture and work well as a base for a variety of different flavours. Here are 5 Korean recipes to for you to try if you can’t get your fix with Sabudana alone.

1. Tteokbokki (Hot and Spicy Rice Cake):

I tried Tteokbokki for the very first time on a fateful evening in my college dining hall, and have been in love with it (and starchy foods) since. This chewy dish includes tubular rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce. Fish cakes and boiled eggs are added for extra flavour, but can easily be skipped to make the dish vegetarian/vegan. The rice cakes are thick and have a lot of bite to them, and they complement the sharp and flavourful sauce. The recipe is simple to make, but if you can’t find the ingredients around you, most Korean restaurants will have this signature dish on their menu.

2. Cheese-tteok-kkochi (Grilled Cheese and Rice Cake Skewers)

Cheese-Tteok-Kkochi By nuu_jeed | Shutterstock
Cheese-Tteok-Kkochi By nuu_jeed | Shutterstock

This sweet and savoury snack is a street food staple in South Korea. Skewers of mozzarella cheese and rice cakes are grilled on a pan till the cheese browns and develops a crust. Sweetened condensed milk is drizzled on top to bring a little sweetness to the snack. This recipe is super easy to recreate and can be a quick starchy snack for lazy evenings.

3. Gamjajeon (Potato Pancake)

Gamjajeon is another simple dish that has minimal ingredients but makes the best use out of them. This recipe typically includes potato starch as well as grated potatoes, which makes the final result chewy on the inside with a crunchy crust. This dish is a great side for main dishes like Tteokbokki, but can also be a great snack with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. This dish is basically the king of starchy foods, kids are sure to ask for more!

4. Yeon-geun-jorim (Braised Lotus Roots)

Lotus roots are in season right now and pretty readily available in India. This dish braises lotus roots in a sweet and salty sauce. The result is a chewy, jelly-like side dish that is soft and flavorful. These little rounds can be a great addition to dishes like fried rice and noodle soups. They can also be snacked upon by themselves, which is my favourite way to eat them. Adding a little sesame seed on top brings nuttiness to the dish and makes it more enjoyable!

5. Chapssaltteok (Mochi)

Mochi By finchfocus | Shutterstock
Mochi By finchfocus | Shutterstock

Mochi is a sweet rice-starch dessert which has become fairly common due to the popularisation of Mochi ice cream. Although I enjoy Mochi ice cream, my sensitive teeth don’t love the cold, so I find myself exploring other styles of Mochi. Korean recipes will often include a sweet red bean filling that adds an extra layer of texture to the sugary treat.

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