Description
Korean tteokbokki is a classic spicy street food made with chewy rice cakes in a savory gochujang sauce. This version uses dashi stock for depth and is ready in just 20 minutes. It’s easily customizable with eggs, cheese, or extra vegetables.
Ingredients
For the rice cakes and broth:
300 g cylinder-shaped rice cakes (tteok)
2 cups dashi or Korean anchovy stock
100 g fish cakes (odeng), sliced
1 tablespoon neutral oil
2 scallions, chopped
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ small onion, finely grated
For garnish:
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Optional add-ins:
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
2 slices mozzarella or American cheese
1 cup shredded cabbage or carrots
Instructions
1. Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 10 minutes. Mix the gochujang, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pan or pot over medium heat. Add the grated onion and sauté for 2 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
3. Pour in the dashi stock and the mixed sauce. Stir to combine. Drain the rice cakes and add them to the pot along with the sliced fish cakes.
4. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon and the rice cakes are uniformly chewy.
5. Turn off the heat. Stir in most of the chopped scallions and the sesame oil. Garnish with the remaining scallions and sesame seeds. Add optional hard-boiled eggs or cheese on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Do not freeze, texture will change. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, or microwave in 30-second intervals.
Soaking the rice cakes in cold water is essential to prevent them from being hard in the center.
If the sauce reduces too quickly before the rice cakes are tender, add a splash more water or stock.
The grated onion melts into the broth, adding sweetness and body, don’t skip it.
Adjust the spice level by using more or less gochujang.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Main Course, Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 381 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg