MaeJakGwa – Korean Cookies

Korea is a peninsula situated in east Asia and is surrounded by Sea of Japan to east, Yellw sea to west and the Korean strait connecting the two water bodies. It is called as Hanguk in South Korea and Choson in North Korea. Korean cuisine is based on rice, vegetables and meat. Kimchi, a type of pickle made with Napa Cabbage and is served at every meal. Today I selected a deep fried cookie from the country. It is more like our shakarpare where cookies are first fried and then dipped into sugar syrup. But what makes these cookies different is the shape. I loved watching the shaping of these cookies. 

 

 

After baking non stop for nearly two weeks, I just needed a change. So this deep fried cookies just fits the bill. This post was supposed to be published yesterday but my first batch didn’t live to my expectations. Though the shape of the cookies was not good, my daughter devoured them as if she has been hungry for a month. I arranged the batche in a plate and took the snaps becfore she came from school. After she returned back, I went to the kitchen to see an empty plate only with the sugar syrup drippings on it. I was so happy that my daughter liked it but when I started drafting, I realised very late that the cookies were not so much good looking as the original ones. So I just abandoned the post. Today morning I tried them again and instead of 12 cookies I got only 10 but was very happy with the result. I also topped them with crushed pistachios and they tasted so nice. But Sruti didn’t even touch a single cookie as there were some unwated particles sticking to it. Yes according to her, the pistachios were not meant to be on that cookie. But still me and H enjoyed them.

 

 

Flour/ Maida-2/3 cup

Water-1/4 cup

Salt-a pinch

Ground Ginger-1/4 tsp

 

Sugar-1/4 cup

Water-1/4 cup

 

Crushed Pistachios-2 tbs

 

In a bowl mix together flour, salt, ginger.

Add water little by little and make a soft dough.

Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to boil.

Simmer for 5-6 minutes until slightly thick.

Remove from stove and cover and set aside.

Now heat oil in a pan and set it on low flame until you design the cookies.

Roll the dough into a thick rectangle.

Trim off the edges.

Cut into 10 small rectangles.

Now fold each rectangle into two.

Make three slits keeping edges intact. The central slit must be larger than the side slits.

Now open the central slit and push one edge throught the slit to make a twisted rectangle.

Shape all the cookies like this.

Now deep fry them in batches on medium to low flame until golden brwon.

Now dip each cookie in the syrup and arrange on a plate.

Decorate with crushed pistachios and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the batch of cookies I made yesterdy. They were thin and didn’t hold shape well but still delicious.