Yakgwa

Yakgwa

Type	Hangwa
Place of origin	Korea
Main ingredients	Wheat flour, honey, sesame oil
Cookbook: Yakgwa  Media: Yakgwa

This article is part of a series on
Korean cuisine 한국 요리 조선 료리
Staples Bap Bibimbap Bokkeum-bap Gukbap Juk Mieum Guksu Naengmyeon Mandu
Ancillaries Pickled dishes Jangajji Jeotgal Kimchi Baek-kimchi Dongchimi Kkakdugi Nabak-kimchi Soups & stews Guk Tang Jeongol Jijimi Jjigae Banchan Bokkeum Buchimgae Jeon Bugak Gui Hoe Jjim Jokpyeon Jorim Muk Namul Pyeonyuk Po Seon Ssam
Desserts Hangwa Dasik Gwapyeon Jeonggwa Kkultarae Suksilgwa Yakbap Yeot Yeotgangjeong Yugwa Gangjeong Hangwa Yumilgwa Mandugwa Taraegwa Yakgwa Tteok Baekseolgi Bupyeon Gyeongdan Injeolmi Jeolpyeon Jeungpyeon Mujigae-tteok Siru-tteok Songpyeon
Beverages List of Korean beverages Cha Hwachae Sikhye Sul(alcoholic beverages) Sujeonggwa
Condiments Doenjang Ganjang Gukganjang Eoganjang Gochujang Honey Cheong Mustard sauce Oil Perilla oil Sesame oil Ssamjang Vinegar
Utensils Dolsot Onggi Siru Sujeo Ttukbaegi
Other Kimchi Field Museum Kimchi refrigerator List of Korean dishes List of North Korean dishes List of Korean beverages Korean Chinese cuisine Korean royal court cuisine
Korea portal

Yakgwa is a Korean traditional dish. It was originally considered as a dessert and more recently as a confectionery (hangwa), because of its sweet taste and flower biscuit shape. Yakgwa is made mainly from honey, sesame oil, and wheat flour.^[1][2][3]

Origin

The origin of yakgwa is not clear, since this food had many different names. However, it seems that Korean people started to eat it during the Unified Shilla era. During the Goryeo Dynasty, yakgwa was known even in China by the name Goryeo mandu. By the Joseon Dynasty era, it was being called yakgwa. It was an essential dessert in the Goryeo royal court.^[4]

Literally, yakgwa means the medicinal (藥) confectionery (菓). This name came from the main ingredients it is made of. In Korea, during the Joseon Dynasty era, honey was considered as a medicine good for health. That is why it was called a medicinal confectionery.^[5]

Ingredients

Yakgwa is traditionally made of honey, sesame oil, and wheat flour. Recently, Yakgwa has been manufactured by corporations, who add more ingredients in order to improve the taste of the biscuit.

Formation

The Yakgwa gets its shape by being either pressed into wooden molds, or flattened on decorative tiles. Both the pistol and molds must be greased with sesame oil.^[6]

See also

• Mandugwa
• List of Korean desserts
• Food portal

References

1. ↑ "약과" (in Korean). Doopedia. Retrieved 2015-05-24. 
2. ↑ "How to Make Yakgwa, Korean Honey Cookies". About.com. Retrieved 2015-05-24. 
3. ↑ Timothy G. Roufs, Kathleen Smyth Roufs (2014). Sweet Treats around the World: An Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 213. ISBN 9781610692212. 
4. ↑ "Traditional Snacks". Korea Tourism Organization. Retrieved 2015-05-24. 
5. ↑ 재미있는 한국어읽기2급,연세대학교 출판부, 제1과 음식 p. 13
6. ↑ Chef Sue Lee, Embessey Chefs "Korea" 2003