Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)
Tteokbokki is a wildly popular Korean street food of chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. The cylindrical rice cakes turn irresistibly soft and bouncy as they soak up the glossy red sauce, balanced by chewy fish cakes and a hint of sweetness. Served hot and saucy, it is the ultimate satisfying snack or light meal for two.
- ⏱ 20 min
- 📊 easy
- 🍽 For Two
Ingredients
- 400 g rice cakes (tteok)
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 100 g fish cake (optional)
Instructions
- If using refrigerated or dried rice cakes, soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes until pliable, then drain.
- In a wide pan or shallow pot, combine water or anchovy stock with gochujang, gochugaru, sugar, and soy sauce, then whisk until the paste dissolves into the liquid.
- Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes to start thickening.
- Add the rice cakes and sliced fish cakes, stirring to coat them in the sauce so they do not stick to the bottom.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice cakes are soft and chewy and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy coating.
- Add sliced green onion and a peeled boiled egg in the last 2 minutes if you like, then stir gently to combine.
- Serve immediately while hot, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, as the sauce thickens further as it cools.
💡 Chef's tip
If your rice cakes are dried or refrigerated and hard, soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking, because this rehydrates them so they turn soft and chewy instead of tough in the center.
Soaking the rice cakes in warm water before cooking softens them so they turn pleasantly chewy rather than hard in the center.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbs: 68 g
- Fat: 3 g
