After enduring the winter, mountains and fields are now tinted with flowers.

When spring flowers are in full bloom, people from all social standings used to enjoy the weather while appreciating the flowers.

On the day of Samjitnal (삼짇날), the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, they made rice cakes and punch with azalea petals to appreciate the taste of spring.

In the Dongguk Sesigi (동국세시기, 東國歲時記) (1849), or "Record of Seasonal Customs in the Eastern Kingdom," a record for flower rice cakes can still be found. The book says that, “Hwajeon or pan-fried sweet rice cakes are a seasonal food for Samjitnal,” while providing a detailed recipe for them. Members of the royal court also enjoyed such a custom. On Samjitnal, the king visited the Biwon, or secret garden, with his servants to enjoy cooking flower rice cakes with azalea petals. The queen and other court ladies also picked azalea petals and made liquors and rice cakes with the petals.

Azalea punch goes well with azalea rice cakes. This beverage is made from well-ripened omija berries (Schisandra chinensis), honey and azalea petals. The sour and sweet taste and the fresh smell of omija are in harmony when the honey is added with the azalea petals as garnish. It's a perfect beverage for spring. In Oriental medicine, azaleas are believed to be effective in anti-aging, boosting the appetite and in easing headaches caused by a cold, and were often used in folk remedies.



Azalea rice cakes

** Ingredients
5 cups of glutinous rice or 10 cups of glutinous rice powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1 cup of boiling water
20 azalea petals
Honey or sugar syrup made from the same amount of sugar and honey
Oil for frying

** Recipe
1. Wash the glutinous rice and soak it in water for about 12 hours. Drain the rice and add salt. Grind it all finely.
2. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the powder to make a batter. Make round-shaped flat paddies about 5 centimeters in diameter.
3. Remove any stamen from the azalea petals and wash them. Unfold them on a plate and allow them to dry.
4. Put a bit of oil in a fry pan and cook the rice cake patties over a low heat. When each side is yellow, turn the patties over. Place the azalea petals on the cooked surface. Don't turn it upside down again after placing the petals.
5. Drizzle the honey or sugar syrup over the cooked rice cakes.





Azalea punch
** Ingredients
1` cup of omija seeds
12 cups of water
1 cup of honey
2/3 cup of sugar syrup
1/3 cup of starch made from mung beans
1 teaspoon of pine nuts



** Recipe
1. Boil the water and cool it. Soak the omija seeds in water for 12 hours so that the water becomes red-pink or the color of azalea. Drain the water with a fine strainer and a cotton cloth to leave a clear juice.
2. Add honey and sugar syrup to the omija water to add more color and taste. You can replace sugar with honey.
3. Trim the petals by removing the stamen. Put the petals in water and place them on a plate to allow them to dry. Cover the petals with mung bean starch. Put the petals in the boiling water for one or two seconds. Put the petals in cold water to cool them.
4. Put the omija juice in a bowl and add the petals and pine nuts as decoration.

Managed by Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han
In cooperation with the Institute of Traditional Korean Food (ITKF)
Recipe from “The Beauty of Korean Food: 100 Best-Loved Recipes”
arete@korea.kr