Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, is a special day in Korea where families gather to thank them for the yearly harvest. On this particular day, all family members gather at their grandparent's house and enjoy a large feast together. There are all sorts of dishes being prepared on this special occasion: Platter of Jeon (Korean pancakes), Galbi (Korean short ribs), and lastly, my favorite, Songpyeon (Korean rice cake).
The special memories that come with my favorite dish make it far more unique compared to other food. When I was still in elementary school, my dad and I always made songpyeon together. My mom did not like it because of how much of a mess we made while making it, but we always secretly prepared the ingredients we needed just to make the songpyeon. Making the dough was easy as it was simply mixing the rice flour and water until it was fully combined. The filling though, required much more preparation with ingredients like sesame seeds and black beans. My dad always prepared everything so that we could simply assemble it together. Once the rice cakes were put into the steamer, we all gathered in front of the stove, eagerly waiting to open it up and try the first bite. Since I am not in Korea during Chuseok, I won’t be able to enjoy the dish, but that's okay — I can just get it at the nearest H Mart . However, I truly miss the precious memories of sitting around the bowls of rice dough and the fillings my dad had prepared, showing off the shape we made the dough into, and, most importantly, sharing food with my loved ones.
Suhyeon Kwon
Secretary
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