Tteok-galbi facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Grilled short rib patties |
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| Type | Galbi, patty |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Associated national cuisine | Korean cuisine, Korean royal court cuisine |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
떡갈비
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|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | tteok-galbi |
| McCune–Reischauer | ttŏk-kalbi |
| IPA | [t͈ʌk̚.k͈al.bi] |
Tteok-galbi (Hangul: 떡갈비) is a yummy Korean dish. It's also known as grilled short rib patties. This dish is made from finely chopped beef short ribs.
Long ago, tteok-galbi was a special meal for kings. Today, it's a popular food in places like Gyeonggi Province and South Jeolla Province in Korea.
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What Does Tteok-galbi Mean?
The name Tteok-galbi (떡갈비) means "cake ribs." This is because tteok (떡) means "rice cake." And galbi (갈bi) means "rib."
The dish looks a bit like a tteok (rice cake). Also, the way you mix and shape the meat is like making a rice cake. The cooked dish is very soft and tender, just like a rice cake.
This name, Tteok-galbi, is quite new. It started being used around the 1960s or 1970s. Before that, it had different names. People called it hyo-galbi (효갈비), meaning "filial piety ribs." Or they called it no-galbi (노갈비), which means "elder ribs." This was because it was a perfect dish for older people. Their teeth might have been too weak to chew meat right off the bones. These older names were used during the Joseon era (1392–1897).
History of Tteok-galbi
Tteok-galbi was once a fancy beef dish served in the royal court. One story says kings didn't want to chew meat off bones. So, this dish was created for them. The meat was taken off the bone and shaped into patties.
Recipes from Gyeonggi Province are said to come from court ladies. They taught how to grill the beef over charcoal. Recipes from South Jeolla Province were shared by important officials. The tteok-galbi from Damyang County is very famous. It was passed down by a person named Song Hui-gyeong.
In modern South Korea, tteok-galbi is made with different meats. Sometimes it's made with pork or even duck. The first tteok-galbi made with half beef and half pork was created in the 1950s. A person named Choe Jeo-ja made it in Songjeong, Gwangju. Now, there's a special "tteok-galbi street" in Songjeong. It's famous for this beef and pork mix. Ori-tteok-galbi (오리떡갈비), which uses duck meat, is also popular in Gwangju.
How to Make Tteok-galbi
Making tteok-galbi involves a few steps. First, the meat is taken off the beef short ribs. Then, it's chopped very finely. This minced meat is mixed with many tasty ingredients. These include salt, black pepper, ginger juice, soy sauce, garlic, onion, and sesame oil. A special rice wine called cheongju and sugar are also added.
The sauce for the marinade is often boiled and cooled first. After the meat is mixed, it's shaped into patties. Sometimes, a little wheat flour is used to help the meat stick to the rib bones. Then, the patties are grilled over oak wood. While grilling, the meat is brushed with more sauce. This makes it even more flavorful.
The Songjeong tteok-galbi is made a bit differently. It uses a mix of beef and pork. This makes the patties juicier, as beef alone can be a bit dry. Choe Jeo-ja's recipe involves kneading the meat by hand for a long time. She used almost 20 ingredients in her seasoning. These included dasima (kelp), pear, and honey. The meat is grilled slowly over charcoal. More sauce is brushed on it often.
Eating Tteok-galbi
People usually use Chopsticks to cut and eat tteok-galbi.
See also
In Spanish: Tteokgalbi para niños
