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Hwajeon - Sweet Matcha Rice Cakes with Fresh Flowers and Honey Syrup

Adapted from Maangchi
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 5 little cakes
Author Sonja Bradfield

Ingredients

Hwajeon

  • 1/2 cup of glutinous rice flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of matcha powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 hot water
  • 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
  • edible flowers

Honey Syrup

  • 3 tablespoons of honey
  • 3 tablespoons of water
  • 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Sift together the rice flour, matcha and salt.
  2. Pour in the hot water and mix until the dough comes together. Knead a few times until it comes together in a ball and roll into a log.
  3. Cut into five equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
  4. Use your fingers to flatten each ball into a round disk about 2 1/2 - 3 inches wide.
  5. In a small sauce pan combine the ingredients for the honey syrup. Heat until the mixture bubbles and turn off the heat. Keep it on the stovetop to keep warm.
  6. Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick pan over low heat. Slide each pancake in and fry for two or three minutes until slightly crisped on the bottom.
  7. Flip over and lightly press flowers or petals into the top of each pancake as the bottom cooks for another few minutes.
  8. Flip each pancake over cooking the side with the flowers for 1 or 2 seconds and flip back over and place on a plate.
  9. Pour the honey mixture over the pancakes and garnish with more fresh flowers.
  10. Enjoy with hot tea.

Recipe Notes

Please make sure to use flowers that are labeled edible. Conventionally grown flowers are usually sprayed with pesticides and herbicides which make them unsafe to eat. I found these flowers in the herb section of my local Whole Foods but I've also seen them at farmers markets.