By Yoony Kim
Growing up, every Saturday over the summer was reserved for cooking with my grandmother- Halmoni, as I would call her in Korean. Although I would have loved to spend every day with her, I moved to Singapore when I was four, so our time together was mostly limited to summer breaks. During those precious weeks, my grandmother would have handwritten recipes and ingredients ready in her kitchen, teaching me how to make dishes I had never encountered before, whether it was an authentic Korean meal or a sweet treat – like dumpling soup, kimchi fried rice, and Korean sweet pancakes. These moments were invaluable bonding time with my grandmother and a special time that allowed me to experience my Korean culture, which I otherwise did not have living in Singapore.
My grandmother, Jeong Gi Lee, now 84, was born and raised in South Korea and spent her 20s in Germany working as a nurse. Later, after returning to Korea and raising her children, she found comfort in exploring and cooking local recipes.
The summer before I graduated High School, my grandma called me asking if I knew what Dalgona was, mentioning that it was going to be our activity for the upcoming Saturday.
She told me that one of her simplest joys was making Dalgona, a Korean street candy made from just sugar and baking soda. Most popular in the 1960s and 1970s, Dalgona is now trending again, partly due to the fun activity that comes with it. People make shapes into the candy using a mold or cookie cutter, then challenge themselves to poke out the shape with a needle without breaking the candy.
On that Saturday, I entered her home, surprised to see the rather empty kitchen counter with just a few ingredients and a ladle. My parents immediately recognized what we were making, exclaiming, “I remember making those when I was young”. We spent the next hour learning how to make Dalgona, then sitting around the table, cutting out shapes and savoring the sweet and crispy Dalgona, as my grandma and parents reminisced about their childhood together.
Although my grandmother and I are still physically far apart, these memories of cooking meals and sharing sweet treats makes me feel so close to her.
Dalgona is a simple, sweet, and an enjoyable activity to share with loved ones- follow this recipe and make this sweet treat with your friends and family!
Dalgona
2 servings
5 to 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Directions
- Add sugar to a metal ladle or use a small saucepan as an alternative for a more convenient and safe option! Keep in mind this might slightly change the time and servings.
- Hold the ladle over low to medium heat, stirring it continuously until the sugar melts and turns light golden brown (be careful not to burn the sugar!).
- Remove the ladle from the heat.
- Add a small pinch of baking soda to the sugar and mix well until the sugar slightly thickens.
- Pour the mixture into two circular shapes onto a piece of parchment paper or a non-stick baking sheet.
- Press each candy with a flat-bottomed cup or plate for about 10 seconds to flatten it
- While the candy is still warm, press a cookie cutter in the center to imprint a shape without cutting all the way through.
- Now for the fun part: Carefully carve out the shape with a needle or toothpick without breaking the candy!
- No worries if the candy breaks; it still tastes delicious.
- Repeat steps to make additional Dalgona candy.