Colorful Traditional Korean Glutinous Rice Vegan Desserts – Spring Flower Pancakes and Rice Balls in Omija Tea Punch

Today we will take a trip to the city of Yeoju, which is in the Korean province of yeonggi-do, with two sisters Yu Na and Na Ri. There are a wide variety of beautiful Spring flowers in full bloom now. The sisters have gone to pick some edible flowers for their pancakes. “Today, I’m going to make a five-colored flower (vegan) pancake and a five-colored glutinous rice ball (vegan) in tea punch. The main ingredient for flower pancakes is glutinous rice flour, which I have weighed and divided into 150 grams each. To make the five colors, I’ll put them into five bowls like this. This is turmeric powder. It acts as an antioxidant, boosts immunity, and has anti-inflammatory properties. This is goji berry powder. It is a commonly known food that boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant. This is beet powder. It helps improve blood circulation and increase immunity. This is mugwort powder. It warms our body and helps improve blood circulation. I’ll make some yellow and some red flower pancakes. Could you add salt first, please? (Yes.) Next, I’ll add turmeric powder and beet powder respectively for color. I think you can add two teaspoons of each. I’ll add 100 milliliters of hot water. Please stir it. Shall we knead it by hand? (Yeah.) Now divide the dough into seven equal portions. One of these will be set aside for the rice balls. Set one aside. Press the ball flat as before to make a pretty flat pancake. Apply rice syrup in the middle. (I’ll put flowers on it.)” The vegan pancakes with five different colors look so pretty and colorful!

“We prepared the small doughs earlier. I’ll make five-colored sticky rice balls with it. Let’s make eight balls out of this dough. Usually, you just need to boil it for about two to three minutes. Now I’ll scoop them out and cool them in cold water. Decorate them by arranging the strawberries nicely on the edges.” Finally, we need Omija tea to complete the five-colored glutinous rice ball Omija Tea Punch. Omija means “five flavors,” which are sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and pungency. “Soaking Omija in cold water for more than five hours gives it this pretty color. Pour enough to cover the rice balls.” All these snacks are made with healthy ingredients that help boost our immunity, are filled with the fragrant scent of Spring flowers, and are beautiful and pleasing to the eyes.