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Spicy Korean Rice Cake (Tteokbokki) is one of the most popular street food in Korea. It's an easy and quick homemade recipe that yields a heat, sweet, and umami flavor that no one can resist.
Spicy Korean Rice Cake (Tteobokki) Recipe
Spicy Korean rice cake, also known as tteokbokki, is a beloved and iconic dish in Korean cuisine that tantalizes the taste buds with its fiery flavor and chewy texture.
Tteokbokki features cylindrical rice cakes bathed in a vibrant and rich red sauce. The sauce is the soul of the dish, made primarily from gochujang, a fermented red chili paste that delivers a distinct spicy kick. It’s combined with other ingredients like sugar and Korean chili powder, creating a complex and addictive flavor.
Why This Recipe Works
It’s an easy homemade recipe to make with only a few simple ingredients. It brings a delicious and comfortable meal to the table, for lunch or dinner, in less than 30 minutes.
It’s a perfect recipe for Korean food lovers. The spicy kick from the gochujang is balanced with sweetness from sugar. This combination creates a complex and well-rounded taste that keeps the dish exciting and enjoyable.
It’s also a versatile recipe that allows you to add additional ingredients such as vegetables (cabbage), fish cakes, boiled eggs, dumplings, and ramen. These additions not only add nutritional value, but also introduce different textures and flavors, making the dish more interesting and customizable to personal preferences.
Recipe Ingredients
This mouthwatering spicy Korean rice cake (tteobokki) recipe calls for only a few ingredients below.
- Dried kelp
- Dried anchovies
- Water
- Green onion, scallion
- Hard boiled eggs
- Fish cakes
- Sesame seeds
Tasty gochujang red sauce:
- Gochujang- Korean red chili paste
- Gochugaru- Korean chili flakes
- Sugar
How To Make Spicy Korean Rice Cake (Tteobokki)
This authentic tteobokki dish is easy and quick to prepare, and the final result rivals the one sold on the street venue in Korea.
First, make a decent soup base by boiling dried kelp and dried anchovies in water. Let the soup boil for 15 minutes to get all the flavor from the ingredients. Drain out dried kelp and dried anchovies, and keep the soup to cook rice with other ingredients.
Next, mix well gochujang, gochugaru, and sugar in a small bowl. Add rice cake, green onion, hard boiled eggs, and fish cake to the pan. Stir in the red sauce and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice cakes are soft and the soup has reduced and thickened.
Finally, dish out and serve immediately with sesame seeds on top.
Cooking Tips
For the most flavorful and authentic spicy Korean rice cake (Tteobokki), please follow my tips below.
- If using frozen rice cakes, or the rice cakes are too hard and dry, soak them in water for about 15-20 minutes before cooking. This will help soften them and improve their texture.
- Adjust the heat level according to your preference. If you like it spicier, you can increase the amount of gochujang or chili powder. Conversely, if you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of spice.
- Enhance the flavor and texture of your tteokbokki by adding vegetables like green onions, cabbage, or carrots.
Frequently Asked Questions
To extract the flavors from the dried kelp and anchovies, you typically need to boil them for about 10-15 minutes. This boiling process helps create a flavorful broth or stock as the kelp and anchovies release their essence into the water.
Remember, the boiling time can be adjusted slightly based on personal preference. If you desire a stronger seafood flavor, you can extend the boiling time a bit longer. However, be cautious not to overboil the ingredients, as it may lead to an overly fishy taste.
Yes, you can make the tteokbokki ahead of time and reheat it just before serving. There are a few tips you may need to pay attention to when making the tteokbokki in front of time.
First, slightly undercooked the rice cake while cooking the tteokbokki, so it won’t be too soft and mushy after reheating.
Next, allow the cooked tteokbokki to cool down to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator promptly and keep it chilled until you’re ready to reheat and serve.
Last but not least, if the tteokbokki sauce is too thick after chilling, you may add a little water or broth when reheating to loosen up the texture.
This recipe has 191 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Spicy Korean Rice Cake
For an easy and wholesome Korean dinner, I recommend the following recipes:
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Spicy Korean Rice Cake (Tteokbokki)
Ingredients
- 2 pieces dried kelp
- 4 large dried anchovies, with heads and intestines removed
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 1 tablespoon Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 lb (500 grams) Korean rice cake
- 2 stalks green onion, cut into 3 inches long pieces
- 2 boiled eggs, peeled
- 4 pieces fish cakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- Add dried kelp, dried anchovies, and 4 cups of water to a frying pan or shallow pot. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes without covering the pot.
- Meanwhile, combine gochujang, Korean chili flakes, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- After 15 minutes of boiling, remove the kelp and anchovies from the pan. Then, add the rice cakes, green onions, boiled eggs, and fish cakes to the pan. Add the prepared sauce and stir gently with a spatula until it is dissolved in the soup.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice cakes are soft and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom.
- Once the rice cakes are soft and the soup has reduced by half and thickened, turn off the heat. Serve immediately, sprinkled with sesame seeds on top.
Video
Notes
- If using frozen rice cakes, or the rice cakes are too hard and dry, soak them in water for about 15-20 minutes before cooking. This will help soften them and improve their texture.
- Adjust the heat level according to your preference. If you like it spicier, you can increase the amount of gochujang or chili powder. Conversely, if you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of spice.
- Enhance the flavor and texture of your tteokbokki by adding vegetables like green onions, cabbage, or carrots.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
