[Korean Recipes] LA Style Sweet Rice Cake Bars

I want you to try these Sweet rice cake bars. They originated from the Koreans living in Los Angeles, California many years ago. Their craving of traditional Korean rice cakes, which sometimes is hard to achieve in a home kitchen, turned this bars more like ‘east meets west’ version of rice cakes.

There is no wheat flour nor any butter or oil, but still creates the crisp texture on the outside and chewy (almost mochi-like) inside.

The filling can be adapted to any choice of nuts, seeds and dried fruits for your liking. You can adjust the amount of sugar depends on the sweetness you desire. That makes this bars great for snacks, quick breakfast, and even a dessert.

The best part? You can whip the batch in less than 10 minutes before you put in the oven to bake.

An easy, chic, gluten free, and low fat baked treat… Let’s do with the L.A Style!!!!

Get ready for your horse dance. 

Here are my chosen plant based (?) filling. Walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, raisins, almonds and pistachios. Use any nuts, edible seeds, and dried fruits. You can throw some chocolate chips if you like.

Coarsely chop your nuts.

In a large bowl, mix rice flower, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. I only used 1-1/2 cup of brown sugar for 3 cups of rice flower. It gave very subtle sweetness. If you prefer sweeter treat, add more sugar as you desire.

Mix well with a whisk.

Pour milk to the flour mixture, add 1teaspoon vanilla, and mix until everything is well combined. It will be a thin batter.

UPDATE: If using Mochiko flour, which is from short grain rice, you will need more milk to get the right consistency.

Add your chopped nuts…

Seeds and dried fruits, and other wonders of nature if you like. Mix well.

Pour on a well greased 9×13 pan.

Make sure you even out the nutty goodness. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-35 minutes.

Voila! You’ve got a cake! Or bars…

Make sure to cool down completely before you cut.

Here is the finished product. Let’s pay a moment of adoration…

Then cut into any size bars you desire. I like my bars long and skinny. That reminds me the lyrics of the song.

“Here! Take a bite!” I gave it to my kids but UNFORTUNATELY they did not like it that much. It must be too healthy for them.

“You said it’s healthy. That means it is not supposed to taste good…” My little son responded after he ate half of it.

Wrap these bars with plastic wrap and they will keep fresh for a few days. They can be stored in the freezer for a couple of month.

They will be my breakfast, afternoon snack, and midnight munch for the next few days. And I am very happy about that.

My family and I had a wonderful trip to Penang, Malaysia and Bali, Indonsia over the holidays. I will try to post some pictures soon to share with you. I had a great time and the ‘FOOD’ was just amazing in both places.

Hope all of you had a great season with your family and friends over a scrumptious feast.

And I wish you a very very Happy New Year!

Love,

LA Style Sweet Rice Cake Bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 20 bars

Ingredients

3 cup glutenous rice flour
1-1/2 to 2 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup low fat milk (if using Mochiko flour, add 1-1.5 cup more milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1/3 cup pecan coarsely chopped
1/3 cup almond coarsely chopped
1/3 cup pistachios coarsely chopped
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF

2. In a large bowl whisk together rice flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour milk and vanilla and stir to mix well.

3. Add the assorted nuts, sunflower seeds and raisins. Mix well.

4. Pour the batter over well greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top gets brown and crisp.

5. Cool completely and cut into bars. Wrap leftover bars with plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: Beyondkimchee.com. Thanks so much!