Tteokbokki Recipe: How to Make Korea’s Spicy Rice Cakes at Home

Introduction

In case you haven’t heard about Korean food, let me introduce you to the tteokbokki recipe. It happens to be one of their most gorgeously savory and delightfully spicy street dishes. The rice cakes simmering in gochujang sauce are a staple in Korean culture. Such as, this gets everyone's mouth watering. For the seasoned chefs and the beginner then, this simple tteokbokki recipe will work wonders!

Tteokbokki: What is it?

The Korean word means "stir-fry grain cakes" is 얡쳶이, or it.Traditionally prepared with cylindrical rice cakes known as garaetteok, it is accompanied by eomuk (fish cakes), green onions, boiled eggs, and served in a thick, spicy sauce. Throughout the years, these have developed many regional as well as modern variations such as cheesy tteokbokki, rose tteokbokki (with cream), and even ramen tteokbokki recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To prepare a classic style tteokbokki recipe, gather the following items:

Main Ingredients:

1 pound (450g) of Korean rice cakes (tteok)
4 cups of water
1 sheet dried kelp (dashima), optional for broth*
1/2 cup sliced Korean fish cakes
Optional
One sliced green onion stalk and Three tablespoons of gochujang, or Korean red chili paste, are needed.

The gochugaru, or Korean red pepper flakes, is one tablespoon.

Soy sauce, two teaspoons.

A spoonful of sugar

1 tablespoon of from honey with glucose

1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic

Note: Ingredients are available at Asian grocery stores or online Korean markets.

How to Make Tteokbokki: Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soaking The Rice Cakes

For the refrigerated and frozen varieties of rice cakes, soaking them in warm water for 10-15 minutes ensures that they become softened. This guarantees that they cook uniformly, resulting in the ideal tteokbokki cake's chewy texture.

Step 2: Making The Broth

Put four cups of water and a piece of dried kelp in a medium-sized pot. Allow them to boil, and after 5 minutes, remove the kelp. Even though this step uses extra time and adds depth to the flavor, it is completely optional if you are in the mood for a quicker version.

Step 3: Mixing The Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce including gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, corn syrup, and garlic in one small bowl. Using a spoon, blend the mixture until smooth.

Step 4: Cook Everything Together

After taking the sauce out of the bowl, combine it with the pot's stock. Ensure you stir the sauce and broth to combine. Once done add the softened rice cakes, allow them to reach a simmer. Remember to continuously stir to avoid sticky rice.

After 5-6 minutes, during the first stages of prep for the chopped green onions, the sliced fish cakes should be added. Allow it to simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes so that the sauce thickens and rice cakes attain their softness or chewiness as desired. Optional boiled eggs may be added at last if preferred.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Serve while hot. Sprinkle some sesame seeds or shredded cheese on top for added flavor. It can be enjoyed by itself as a Korean street food or alongside pickled radish (danmuji).

Tips for the Perfect Tteokbokki

To make it hotter, increase the amount of gochugaru, or use more gochujang.
To make rose tteokbokki creamier, add some milk or cream.
Protein-rich foods like ramen noodles, sausages, tofu, and seafood may be added to a meal to make it more balanced.
Refrigerate the leftovers and add some water before reheating.

Final Thoughts

No culinary journey to Korea would be complete without mastering this tteokbokki recipe. This Korean dish has an irresistibly rich flavor, and it's always comforting. It's bound to transform your boring dinner into something exciting.