Description
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food featuring chewy rice cakes and tender fish cakes simmered in a spicy, flavorful gochujang-based sauce. This quick and easy recipe delivers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, ideal as a comforting snack or light meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 350 g Korean rice cakes (12 ounces), separated
- 150 g Korean fish cakes (5.3 ounces), rinsed over hot water and cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups Korean soup stock (dried kelp and dried anchovy stock)
- 60 g onion (2 ounces), thinly sliced
Sauce and Seasonings
- 3 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp raw sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Finishing Ingredients
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Soak Rice Cakes: Soak the rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them, especially if they are refrigerated packaged cakes. If using fresh rice cakes, this step can be skipped.
- Prepare Sauce and Boil: In a shallow pot over medium-high heat, bring the Korean soup stock to a boil. Stir in the gochujang, raw sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and gochugaru to dissolve the sauce completely and create a flavorful broth.
- Add Ingredients and Cook: Once the sauce is boiling, add the soaked rice cakes, fish cakes, and thinly sliced onion. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes until the rice cakes are fully cooked and tender.
- Simmer to Thicken Sauce: Reduce heat to low and simmer for an additional 2 to 4 minutes. This step thickens the sauce, deepens the flavors, and allows the ingredients to meld together beautifully.
- Add Finishing Touches: Stir in the sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and finely chopped green onion. Mix quickly to evenly distribute the flavors.
- Serve Warm: Serve the tteokbokki immediately while warm for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Soaking rice cakes is crucial if they are refrigerated to ensure a chewy texture.
- Adjust gochujang and gochugaru quantities to control the spiciness level.
- Korean soup stock can be substituted with vegetable or anchovy broth if preferred.
- Tteokbokki is best enjoyed fresh as the rice cakes can harden upon cooling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
