Five-Layer Korean Rainbow Rice Cake (Mujigae-tteok, About 8 Slices)

Thaw about 900 g frozen wet-milled non-glutinous rice flour and sift. Add about 10 cups of water to the steamer, line with a clean damp cloth and place a 20-cm round ring on the cloth. Do not substitute dry or glutinous flour one-for-one.

Divide the flour into 1 cup brown, 1 1/2 cups green, 1 1/2 cups yellow, 1 1/2 cups pink, and 1 cup white. Add 2 tbsp sugar and one pinch of salt to each.

Rub 1 tsp cocoa and 4 tsp water into the brown flour until loose. Sift into the bottom of the mold and level without compacting.

Mix 1 tsp mugwort (or matcha), 2 tbsp water and one drop green food color into green flour, rub loose, then sift over the brown layer.

Mix 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp water and one drop yellow food color into the yellow flour, then sift over the green layer.

Mix 2 tbsp water and one drop pink food color into the pink flour, rub loose and sift over the yellow layer.

Mix 4 tsp water into white flour and sift on top. If desired, decorate with five cranberries, a few pine nuts and one dried apricot.

Cover and once the water is vigorously boiling steam on high for about 30 minutes, then 5 minutes at lower heat. Avoid running the steamer dry and open the lid away from the hot steam.

Cool slightly, remove the ring and slice into about eight pieces. Steam longer if any flour is undercooked. Cut into manageable pieces and chew well; refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours.