🔥Chapssal donut: red bean inside or not

The market chapssal donut (찹쌀도넛) is one of those snacks I never get tired of. The outside is fried glutinous rice dough rolled in sugar, so the first bite is crunchy, then it goes chewy and stretchy, almost like mochi that got a crust. It's best warm, when the sugar sticks to your fingers and the inside is still soft. A poll on this split almost perfectly. Out of about 16,000 votes, 52% said no filling, 48% said with red bean.

I'm on the red bean side, and I didn't expect to be. The plain one is mostly about texture, which is nice for two bites, then it gets a bit one-note and sweet in a flat way. The sweetened red bean paste is earthier and slightly grainy, and it gives the chewiness something to hold onto. It also makes one donut feel like a real snack instead of fried air. What I'd skip is the cold one from the supermarket bag. Without the warm crunch it's just chewy and sugary. If the stall has a line, I'd wait for a fresh batch and get one of each.