Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)
Whether you are having it as a comfort food or a snack, here is a quick and easy delicious tteokbokki recipe made with Korean chewy rice cakes cooked in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce that can be enjoyed all year round.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 lb rice cakes (garaetteok) ((tubular shaped, approx. 2.5 cups))
- 1 sheet fish cake ((or 4-5 fish balls))
- 1 small onion ((finely sliced, approx. 1/2 cup))
- 1 tsp sesame oil ((added after turning off heat at the end))
- 3 cup water ((Use 31/2 cups for a more saucy tteokbokki))
- 1 pc kelp (Optional for more umami. (3x3 inches))
- 11/2 tbsp hondashi dashi powder ((or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, or shiro dashi))
- 1/2 cup bonito flakes
- 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 2 tsp gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) ((see notes for heat levels))
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 clove garlic ((finely chopped, approx. 1 tablespoon))
- 1 cup carrots and cabbage ((shredded))
- 1 cup shredded cheese or American cheese slices ((add on top right before eating))
- 3 eggs ((soft or medium boiled))
- hotdogs or leftover meat
- 1/4 cup kimchi ((roughly chopped))
- toasted sesame seeds
- green onions
Instructions
- 1
Peel and slice the onion and set them aside
- 2
Cut the fish cakes into small pieces and set them aside
- 3
If you are using green onions as your garnish, finely chop it and set it aside for the end
- 4
If you are using any add-ins, prepare them now (ie. grate the cheese, boil the eggs)
- 5
Finely chop or grate the garlic.
- 6
Mix the gochujang, gochugaru, sugar, and garlic together in a small bowl and set the sauce aside
- 7
In a shallow pan, boil water on medium heat. Add in the kelp (optional), bonito flakes, and dashi powder and boil for 5 minutes. If you are not using hondashi dashi powder, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce instead.
- 8
Scoop out the bonito flakes and kelp and discard them
- 9
Add in the tteokbokki sauce, onions, cabbage and carrots (optional), and rice cakes, and cook for about 5 minutes. Once the sauce starts to simmer, it's important to keep stirring it so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- 10
Add in the fish cakes and cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened into a glossy sauce.
- 11
Do a taste test and adjust the sauce to your liking. Then try a rice cake, they should be soft and chewy. If they are still hard, continue to cook for a few more minutes.
- 12
Turn off the heat, drizzle in the sesame oil and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and/or green onions and add in any add-ins. If you are adding cheese, add that on top to melt it as well. Enjoy!