Cross-Cultural Reviews

An Experience Making Korean Song Pyun

On Thursday August 30th I received a phone call from my friend Ms. Kong Mae Song at People Care Search Inc. I know Ms. Kong through my good friend Mr. Bill Mac Roberts who was my neighbor and co-worker in Gangwondo when I worked at Kwandong University in 2005. Ms. Kong wanted to know if I was interested in participating in a traditional Korean cooking class to prepare song pyun rice cakes on Saturday, September 1st with her coworker, Ms. Son Sung Moon. Well, I visited a cooking school in Samchonpo once in 1997 with a friend and enjoyed some bulgogi there.

So I really like cooking schools mostly because I get to eat Korean foods there. I have been enjoying Korean foods for many years and think that it is a really essential part of Korean culture and it would not be the same place without it. As I was already on my way to Nagwon on Saturday I decided that it would be a fun and interesting thing to do. So I agreed.

It was a rainy Saturday morning in Jongno and I was at Exit 7 of the subway line wondering, “Will this woman show up at 9:40? Do I have the correct exit? I hope so.” Ms. Moon or “Moonie” as she likes to be called showed up on time just fine and I hoped she knew where we were going because I was not exactly sure. Ms. Kong had sent a website for the cooking school and a map and many details but I had not read everything. Luckily Moonie knew where we were going and I had an idea. Basically we were visiting one of Korea’s most famous cooking schools, The Institute of Traditional Korean Food owned and operated by a highly respected national icon, Ms. Yoon Suk Ja.

As we entered the lobby I took a look around some of the traditional and antique Korean cooking implements and utensils displayed on shelves and tables. Each one was labeled with Korean and English descriptions which explained what they were or what they are used for. Some were familiar looking and others were unique, hand made and obviously quite precious. Then we took an elevator to one of the upper floors and joined a class of men and women taking the song pyun making class. The entire floor we arrived at was a large classroom easily divided into two sections. The tables were set quite high with small chairs and utensils stored below them in large cabinets. There were about a dozen people there already and at the front of the room I noticed a demonstration table, white board and visual equipment which displayed the hands of the teacher on a large flat screen TV. I felt lucky because I had forgotten my glasses that morning!

Ms. Yoon Suk Ja began the lesson with a brief question and answer session concerning the origin and history of Korean song pyun rice cakes. She explained that they have been created from since before the dynasties periods and have always reminded Koreans of the foundation myths of Korean traditional beliefs, including the births of kings and leaders of Korea from turtle eggs. She affirmed the different colors of song pyun including pink, white, brown, yellow, and green and that green tea and coffee were included which led to green and brown dough. Also she explained that the contents of the song pyun are made from various nuts and unrefined sugar but that we should concentrate on making as beautiful song pyun as possible and not over-stuff the contents.

Ms. Yoon Suk Ja then demonstrated her expertise by presenting the stages of song pyun making through first sifting the rice flour and then combining it with boiled water and then as it cools kneading the dough forcibly with the palm of the hand with a bear claw movement which seems reminiscent of at least one of the Korean foundation characters. Ms. Yoon Suk Ja said the quality and taste of the dough should be kneaded to a soft but firm consistency which improves its flavour. Then she demonstrated that the dough should be rolled out into a plug about two feet long and four inches wide. This is then cut into ½ inch sections, which are then rolled into balls and set under a warm moist towel. Following this the dough is rolled between the palms until it is quite firm. At this stage a dough ball is placed in the right palm and the left thumb is pushed into the middle of it to make a warm nest, which reminds one of the Korean traditional wedding blessings which include hens and augers bounty. Then the nest is filled with the filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, spices and sesame seeds which makes one think of fertilization and new life. Then the nest is closed between the thumbs and forefingers at which point the song pyun needs to be shaped into an egg or oval between the palms, more gently to preserve the integrity of the filling. All of these images are quite symbolic of birth. Then between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand the song pyun is held while one side is gently pinched into a ridge and formed carefully to avoid denting the contained bulge this creates. Then the process is repeated by turning the song pyun over and creasing the crease again. What results is something which approximates a lovely seashell.

Following demonstration Ms. Yoon Suk Ja invited Moonie and I up to the front to assist us in performing these procedures to turn out respectable song pyun. While I felt somewhat unsure how to move from one step to the next Ms. Yoon Suk Ja demonstrated her skill and long experience in teaching through gently assisting me through each step which resulted in more than a few respectably shaped song pyun which were then passed around the classroom as apparently some of them passed a test of quality. The groups at various tables had turned out various colors of dough which were shared out along with equal measures of encouragement and we even attempted to decorate our song pyun with small pieces of alternate colored dough to shape small flowers upon one side. Moonie quickly impressed me with her artistically shaped and finely crafted song pyun flower and I have admit my own attempt at flower decoration looked a lot like a dandelion. Then when a few dozens of song pyun were ready the students placed them in large bamboo steamer trays to heat and cook them over boiling water for twenty minutes. I was surprised by this because while I have always eaten these rice cakes at special festivals like Chusok which is coming soon, I had neither though about the feeling with which these foods are prepared nor the time and process of learning the skill. However the results were delicious. Just before lunch Moonie and I joined the camera man, Kwa-yong Lee and the reporter Yoon Hyun-young at a small table near the classroom for delicious and multi-colored song pyun at the joyful insistence of Ms. Yoon Suk Ja. Eating these warm song pyun that we had made with our own hands, I was reminded of the warmth of the hearts of the Korean people and share many happy wishes at this festival time of Chusok. Now I have another memory among many to explain why I choose work in Korea over so many other nations and I also had another reason, “Save room for lunch!”

* Some version of this will be published in the September Edition of the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism Magazine produced and written by Ahn Graphics .