Monday, August 19, 2013

Summer's ultimate treat

Pat bing soo

When the temperature peaks, the only thing I want is pat bing soo (팥빙수). Cold, creamy, sweet, chunky. Pat bing soo takes on a variety of different flavors and textures due to the range of ingredients that compose it.

pat || || sweetened adzuki beans

bing soo || 빙수 || shaved ice

It is typically served with a bowl of shaved ice + huge dollop of pat + dduk (떡, Korea's mochi) + a drizzle of condensed milk. Simple. However, now, cafes and restaurants have been adding oodles and oodles of toppings, like ice cream, fruit, and cereal.

I spent a heaping portion of my summer in sweltering Seoul this year and tried to indulge in pat bing soo as much as I can. Alas, I only had it 6 times or so. My favorite? A milk bingsoo at Cafe Oui in Gangnam. A mountain of shaved, sweetened milk. A small bowl of pat. A few pieces of dduk. It is a simple but satisfying treat. The shaved milk reeeeally makes the difference. It is slightly sweet and very fluffy.

I tried to recreate it.

Tried.

My milk ice wasn't as fluffy and I couldn't help but add some fruit and almonds.

This is my first time making pat bing soo. So, it's not the most perfect recipe but it is oh-so-delicious. Please give it a try on the next sweltering hot day. You'll thank me.

Pat bing soo



Pat Bing Soo 
(but you can also call this Oo You Bing Soo, milk bing soo) 
팥빙수 // 우유빙수


BING SOO 
1 1/4 + 1/4 c. milk
1 T. brown sugar
1/8 t. vanilla extract

Combine the 1/4 c. milk and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Cook on low heat until uniform. Cool in the fridge for twenty minutes. Add to the 1 1/4 c. of milk. Add vanilla extract. Pour into ice cube molds. Freeze for at least an hour, or until the milk is frozen.

PAT 
1 c. dried adzuki beans
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Wash the beans. Add to a medium sized pot and add enough water to cover an inch over it. Let it come to a boil. Then, drain the beans and add them back to the sauce pan. Add enough water to cover it an inch over it. Let it boil and then simmer with the top half on. Cook for an hour or so, or until the beans are tender. Make sure to add water every time you notice that the water is gone. This is very important! After they are tender, add in the sugar and cinnamon and cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Cool.

BOILED MOCHI BALLS
1 1/4 c. Mochiko
3/4 c. water
3 T. granulated sugar

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Dissolve the granulated sugar in the water by combing them over low heat in a sauce pan. Cool the syrup. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour and the cooled syrup with a wooden spoon. Hand knead until stiff. Add more water or Mochiko if needed. Roll into balls and cook in the boiling water. Once they rise up to the surface, cook for one more minute. Drain and wash gently with cold water. (This rough recipes makes quite a lot of mochi balls.)

MORE TOPPINGS 
strawberries, bananas, blueberries, grapes, watermelon, pineapple, mango, canned fruit, corn flakes, ice cream, condensed milk, strawberry/chocolate syrup

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER! 
Grind up the ice in a food processor. Add a hefty amount of the shaved ice. Add a big dollop of pat. Surround with fruit and mochi balls.

TO EAT 
Mix it all together! It ain't pretty but it is deeelicious. If it is too hard to mix, add a tablespoon or so of milk to help melt the ice a bit. Enjoy.

1 comment:

  1. Oh yum! I love food like this! We have a similar dessert in Japan and it is absolutely to die for! Also, you can never go wrong with condensed milk (I love that stuff).

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