Korean Spicy Tteokbokki Dish (Print)

Chewy rice cakes simmered in spicy gochujang sauce with green onions and savory broth for a flavorful meal.

# Components:

→ Rice Cakes

01 - 1.1 lbs Korean rice cakes (tteok, cylindrical)
02 - 4.2 cups water

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
04 - 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon honey or corn syrup
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth

09 - 3 cups water
10 - 1 dried kelp (kombu), approx. 3.15 x 3.15 inches
11 - 4 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional for vegetarian)

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
13 - 1 small onion, sliced
14 - 0.5 cup cabbage, chopped (optional)
15 - 2 boiled eggs, peeled (optional)
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Immerse rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if they are hard or refrigerated to soften.
02 - Combine 3 cups water, dried kelp, and anchovies in a medium pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Remove kelp and anchovies, reserving the broth.
03 - Add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey, and minced garlic to the broth. Stir thoroughly until the paste is fully dissolved.
04 - Introduce rice cakes, sliced onion, and chopped cabbage if using. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring intermittently to avoid sticking.
05 - Maintain a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens and rice cakes soften to a chewy consistency.
06 - In the last 2 minutes, add green onions and boiled eggs if desired. Remove from heat once heated through.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every rice cake in a way that feels indulgent but comes together in under 30 minutes.
  • It's naturally vegetarian if you swap the anchovy broth for vegetable stock, making it easy to feed everyone at the table.
  • One bowl somehow manages to be both warming and addictive, with enough heat and sweetness to keep you coming back for another bite.
02 -
  • Don't add salt to the broth until you've mixed in the sauce ingredients—the gochujang and soy sauce already contain plenty, and oversalting is harder to fix than you'd think.
  • Rice cakes will continue absorbing liquid even after you stop cooking, so if you're not serving immediately, keep the sauce slightly looser than you think it should be.
03 -
  • Make your broth a day ahead if you can—the flavors deepen overnight, and you'll have less to do when hunger strikes.
  • If the sauce seems too spicy once you taste it, a touch more honey or a splash of milk will gently bring the heat down without killing the flavor.
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