Nadiya Hussain's Culinary Creations for Chicken Half-Moons and Rice Paper Tteokbokki
Many home cooks use a lot of rice paper and always have plenty at home, since it can be used in a wide variety of ways. The fried version is particularly scrumptious, similar to other ingredients! These savory pockets are filled with an aromatic chicken mince, while tteokbokki is a classic Korean recipe of springy rice cylinders that are typically simmered in a sauce. They can be difficult to locate, yet they are a favorite, so I create my own version.
DIY Chewy Rice Tubes (pictured top)
Prep Five minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Makes a dozen
A standard pack containing circular rice papers
45ml of oil
Half a dozen cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp gochujang paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
To serve
Toasted sesame oil
Spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seeds
Dunk each sheet of rice paper in a lipped plate of cold water, submerging them until soft.
Form each into a cylinder, then slice into two and set aside.
Put the oil in a broad frying pan on a moderate flame and, when it’s hot, add the chopped garlic and fry.
When the garlic becomes fragrant and colored, add approximately 750ml cold water, the Korean chili paste and soy sauce, and let it bubble for five minutes.
Drop the rice paper rolls into the pan and simmer for five to eight minutes, until the rolls are coloured and soft.
Finish with a splash of sesame oil and a scattering of thinly cut scallions and a few sesame seeds.
Savory Chicken Crescents
Prep Five minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Makes six
Approximately 1.1lbs of chicken mince
1 tsp garlic paste
5ml of ginger paste
2 spring onions, sliced
One teaspoon salt
3 tsp chilli flakes
One egg
Six rice paper sheets
Neutral oil, for deep frying
Hot sauce, as an accompaniment
Put the chicken mince in a bowl, then add the ginger and garlic paste, sliced spring onions, salt and crushed chillies.
Add the egg and stir until fully incorporated.
Get a lipped plate and fill it with some cold water.
Briefly immerse a rice paper circle in the water and soak until soft – this will take only a few seconds.
Lay the paper on a board, add approximately one-sixth of the mixture on one half of the paper, then distribute it evenly, ensuring a centimeter border.
Fold the other half of paper over the top of the filling, then fold back the border to seal.
Repeat with with the remaining five rice paper sheets and filling.
Pour enough oil into the base of a frying pan so that it covers the surface.
Put on a high heat and, when sizzling, carefully add the half-moons in batches and cook until golden and crispy.
After a few minutes, carefully turn them and fry the second side.
Cook the remaining batches.
Enjoy immediately while warm with a side of chili sauce.