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One regularly utilize a lot of rice paper and typically have a stocked pantry, since it can be used in a wide variety of ways. Frying makes it wonderfully tasty, as are most things! These half-moons are filled with an aromatic chicken mince, while tteokbokki is a Korean dish of soft rice cakes that are typically simmered in a sauce. Sourcing them can sometimes be tricky, yet they are a favorite, so I create my own version.

Rice Paper Tteokbokki (pictured top)

Prep 5 min
Cook Twenty minutes
Makes a dozen

134g pack dried rice paper sheets
45ml of oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced after peeling
45ml of gochujang paste
30ml of soy sauce

To serve
Sesame oil
Scallions, finely sliced
Toasted sesame seeds

Submerge each round of rice paper in a lipped plate of cold water, submerging them until soft.

Roll each one into a log, then divide into halves and set aside.

Pour the oil in a broad frying pan on a medium setting and, when it shimmers, add the minced garlic and fry.

As soon as the garlic turns brown, add 750ml cold water, the spicy paste and soy sauce, and boil for five minutes.

Drop the rice paper rolls into the pan and cook for five to eight minutes, until the rolls are coloured and soft.

Finish with a splash of sesame oil and a sprinkling of thinly cut scallions and some sesame seeds.

Chicken Half-Moons

Prep Five minutes
Cook 30 min
Makes 6

Half a kilogram chicken mince
1 tsp garlic paste
5ml of ginger paste
Two green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
5ml of salt
3 tsp chilli flakes
1 egg
6 rice paper circles
Frying oil, for deep frying
A chili sauce, for serving

Place the ground chicken in a bowl, then incorporate the pastes of garlic and ginger, chopped green onions, salt and crushed chillies.

Crack in the egg and stir until fully incorporated.

Get a lipped plate and add some cold water.

Briefly immerse a rice paper circle in the water and leave it until pliable – this will take only a few seconds.

Put the softened sheet on a cutting board, portion out some of the chicken filling on half of the paper, then pat it into a thin layer, keeping a small edge.

Fold the other half of paper to encase the filling, then seal the border to seal.

Do the same with the rest of the five rice paper sheets and filling.

Heat a layer of oil into the base of a frying pan so that it’s entirely covered.

Place over high heat and, when sizzling, carefully add the half-moons in batches and cook until golden and crispy.

Once one side is done, flip them over and brown the reverse.

Repeat with the remaining half-moons.

Enjoy immediately while warm with a preferred spicy condiment.