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Learn how to make this easy and popular Korean rice cake cooked in umami, savory, and spicy sauce.
So, I got a hold of this Quick and Easy Korean Cooking by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee. It’s a beautiful cookbook. I just have to agree with this cookbook that, Korean cooking actually isn’t as complicated as I thought. It is actually pretty simple and hearty. I immediately remember my sister when I first saw this rice cake stick snack or tteokbokki. She LOVES tteokbokki. I think we always ordered ddukbokgi whenever we ate at that Korean House restaurant.
What is tteokbokki ?
Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food made from stir-fried chewy rice cakes (tteok) in a spicy, sweet, and savory sauce. The dish typically features gochujang (Korean red chili paste) as the base, often combined with soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Fish cakes, boiled eggs, and vegetables like cabbage and green onions are common additions. Tteokbokki is known for its bold flavors and comforting, hearty texture, making it a favorite snack or casual meal in Korean cuisine. Variations can include cheese, ramen, or other ingredients for added richness.
Spicy Korean Rice cake (Tteokbokki)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 small carrot thinly sliced
- 1 lbs rice cake sticks
- 3 Tbsp gochujang
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sugar or Korean malt syrup mool yut, or use brown rice syrup or maple syrup
- 8 oz fish cakes cut into strips or substitute with 1 lb jumbo prawns (shelled and deveined)
- 1 stalk green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- If using frozen rice sticks (which I did), separate them and soak them in cold water to soften for at least an hour. If using fresh, then you can skip this step
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the carrot becomes a bit soft
- Add the rice cake sticks (make sure they are separated first), chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar (or malt syrup), and fish cakes if using. Continue stir-frying for another 5 minutes or so. If the rice cake sticks are still hard, lower the heat a bit, cover, and let steam for a couple of minutes to soften
- Increase the heat (if you’ve lowered it), add the green onions, prawns (if you substitute), and cook until the prawns are cooked through, which is 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if you wish, and serve immediately
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
