Tteok-bokki Recipe

Soak/Separate Rice Cakes

If using refrigerated/frozen rice cakes, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10–20 minutes to soften and separate. If they're fresh and pliable, no soaking is needed. Drain and set aside.

Prepare fish cake by slicing into 1-inch strips. Slice green onions on a bias, and julienne carrot and thinly slice cabbage and onion if using. Peel and soft-boil eggs if using (6–7 minutes boiled then cooled).

In a small bowl, combine gochujang (3 tbs), gochugaru (1 tsp), soy sauce (1 tbs), sugar (2 tbs), rice syrup or honey (1 tbs), minced garlic (1 tsp), and sesame oil (1 tsp). Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In a wide skillet or shallow pot, add 3 cups water or prepared anchovy-dashi and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add the soaked/drained rice cakes to the simmering liquid. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Let simmer 3–5 minutes until rice cakes begin to soften and the liquid warms through.

Add sliced fish cake and any optional vegetables (onion, carrot, cabbage). Stir to combine and continue simmering 2–3 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the prepared sauce to the pot. Stir continuously to dissolve the sauce into the liquid and coat rice cakes evenly.

Continue to simmer, stirring frequently and pressing the rice cakes against the pan occasionally so sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Cook 4–6 minutes until sauce reduces to a thick, slightly sticky glaze that coats the rice cakes. If the sauce reduces too much before rice cakes are soft, add 2–4 tablespoons water to adjust consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add a pinch more sugar for sweetness, a splash of soy for saltiness, or a little more gochujang/gochugaru for heat. Stir well and cook 30–60 seconds after adjusting.

If using soft-boiled eggs, nestle them into the sauce for the last 1 minute to warm through.

Turn off heat. Stir in sliced green onions (reserve a few for garnish) and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of black pepper over the tteok-bokki.

Transfer to serving plates or a shallow bowl. Garnish with remaining green onion and an extra drizzle of sesame oil if desired. Serve hot.