Yugwa

Yugwa is a traditional dessert consisting of glutinous rice that is pounded and then mixed with honey, water, and cheongju (rice wine). The mixture is shaped into desired pieces that are fried and then coated in honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, cinnamon, or puffed rice. These crispy treats were once reserved only for nobility and were a staple dessert served on Seollal (Korean New Year). Apart from the plain, white version, yugwa can be spiced, and it may be tinted with natural food colorings. The most common yugwa varieties include elongated and oval shaped gangjeong, a flat version known as sanja, and binsa-gwa which is prepared with the leftover yugwa.