turmeric & ginger hotteok

golden, crispy, and just the right amount of spice

warm, chewy, and filled with sticky spiced sweetness, these turmeric & ginger hotteok bring a golden glow to the classic korean street snack

the turmeric adds an earthy warmth, while ginger brings a heat that lingers just enough

caramelized pockets of sugar seep into the dough as it crisps in the pan, creating the perfect balance of soft and crunchy

best enjoyed fresh off the stove, with fingers slightly sticky and a cup of something warm in hand

makes four hotteok

ingredients

turmeric dough

150g flour

15g white sugar

1 tsp yeast

0.25 tsp ground turmeric

0.25 tsp ground ginger

0.25 tsp salt

120g water, lukewarm

1 tsp sesame oil

ginger sugar filling

25g caster sugar

20g brown sugar

0.5 tsp ground cinnamon

0.25 tsp ground turmeric

0.25 tsp ground ginger

0.25 tsp salt

15g fresh ginger, finely diced

method

turmeric dough

add the flour (150g), sugar (15g), yeast (1 tsp), ground turmeric (0.25 tsp), ground ginger (0.25 tsp) and salt (0.25 tsp) to the bowl of a stand mixer

pour in the water (120g) and sesame oil (1 tsp) and mix together to form a sticky dough

cover and let rise for an hour

ginger sugar filling

while the dough is rising, prepare the ginger sugar filling by mixing together the caster sugar (25g), brown sugar (20g), ground cinnamon (0.5 tsp), ground turmeric (0.25 tsp), ground ginger (0.25 tsp), salt (0.25 tsp), and fresh ginger (15g)

assembly

punch down the risen dough with wet hands (it will be sticky!)

divide evenly into four dough balls

working with one dough ball at a time, press out a piece of dough into a small circle, about the size of your palm

spoon a quarter of the ginger sugar filling into the centre

gently gather the edges of the dough, pinching them together to seal

flatten the filled dough slightly, being careful not to break the seal

repeat with the remaining dough balls

heat a pan over medium-low and add a little oil

place the hotteok seam-side down and cook until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes

flip, press down gently with a spatula, and cook until the other side is golden

remove from the pan and let cool slightly before enjoying the gooey, spiced sugar filling