Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)

Korea’s most popular street food — chewy rice cakes in a fiery, sweet gochujang sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb tteok (Korean rice cakes, cylindrical style)
• 2 cups anchovy broth or water
• 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup or honey
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• Fish cake (eomuk), sliced — optional
• Sesame oil and sesame seeds to finish

Directions

1. If rice cakes are frozen, soak in cold water 30 minutes to soften.
2. Combine broth, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and corn syrup in a wide pan. Whisk.
3. Bring to a boil. Add rice cakes and fish cakes if using.
4. Simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and coats rice cakes.

Add more liquid if sauce gets too thick.

1. Serve in bowls with boiled eggs. Top with green onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

Notes

Gochujang is the essential ingredient — there is no substitute. The sauce should cling to each rice cake when done. Fresh tteok only needs 5 minutes; frozen needs longer.