Tteokbokki: Korean Spicy Rice Cakes

Tteokbokki is Korean street food at its most direct: chewy rice cakes swimming in a sweet, fiery red sauce that stains your lips and keeps you reaching for more. If you have never had it, the texture is unlike anything in Western cooking. The rice cakes are dense and bouncy, almost like a cross between gnocchi and mochi, and they absorb the gochujang sauce as they soften. It is something that sells from carts on every corner in Seoul for good reason.

Building the sauce on a base of anchovy and kelp stock gives this version a savory depth that water-based tteokbokki simply cannot match. Dissolving the gochujang into that stock before adding the rice cakes ensures even coating and no clumps of paste.

That’s it. The pairing of sugar and corn syrup creates a glossy, clingy sauce that lacquers every piece. Fish cakes go in during the last two minutes so they warm through without getting rubbery. Hard-boiled eggs are traditional and worth including. They soak up the sauce and give you something to break up the heat. Serve it in a shallow bowl with plenty of green onions and sesame seeds on top.

This is best eaten immediately, while the rice cakes are still soft and stretchy.

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How to Make Tteokbokki: Korean Spicy Rice Cakes

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Prepare the Rice Cakes and Make the Sauce

If using dried rice cakes, soak them in warm water for twenty minutes, then drain.

In a wide skillet, combine the stock, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, corn syrup, and minced garlic.

Stir until the gochujang dissolves completely and the sauce is smooth.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

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Cook the Rice Cakes Until Soft and Glossy

Add the rice cakes to the boiling sauce and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for eight to ten minutes. The rice cakes are done when they are soft, chewy, and tender, and the sauce has thickened into a glossy glaze.

Stir often to prevent sticking and ensure even coating.

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Add Fish Cakes and Serve Hot

Add sliced Korean fish cakes and green onion pieces to the pan and cook for two more minutes until heated through. The fish cakes absorb the sauce and add a savory, bouncy texture.

Serve immediately in bowls with hard-boiled eggs and toasted sesame seeds on top. Eat while hot for the best texture.

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Print

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