tteokbokki recipe
Tteokbokki is a beloved Korean dish made of chewy rice cakes in a spicy, slightly sweet broth, with origins in the royal palace that evolved into a street food staple. Its iconic flavor and texture, paired with mozzarella or hard-boiled eggs, make it a satisfying and versatile meal enjoyed by many.
Equipment
- Large Pot (for cooking rice cakes and sauce)
- Shallow Pot (for making anchovy broth)
- Small Bowl (for mixing gochugaru, hot pepper paste, and sugar)
- Wooden Spoon (for stirring)
- Serving Bowl (for serving)
- Grater (optional, for grating mozzarella)
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 350 g 12 ounces Korean rice cakes
- 150 g 5.3 ounces fish cakes, rinsed in hot water and cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups of Korean soup stock made with dried kelp and dried anchovy stock
- 60 g 2 ounces of thinly sliced onion
- Sauce Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp of gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 ½ Tbsp of raw sugar
- 1 Tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 tsp of minced garlic
- 1 tsp of gochugaru Korean chili flakes
- sesame oil
- toasted sesame seeds
- Additional Ingredients
- 1 pound of cylinder-shaped rice cakes tteok, fresh, frozen, bought, or homemade
- 4 cups of water
- 7 large dried anchovies with heads and intestines removed
- 6 x 8 inches of dried kelp
- hot pepper paste
- Korean hot pepper flakes
- sugar for extra flavor
- Garnish and Optional Additions
- 3 green onions scallions, cut into 3-inch long pieces
- 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 hard-boiled eggs optional, for extra richness
Instructions
- Thawing and Preparing the Rice Cakes
- Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large pot with chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, add soaked rice cakes, and coat them in the sauce.
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Preparing the Anchovy Broth and Spicy Mixture
- Boil dried anchovies and kelp in water for 15 minutes, then remove.
- Mix gochugaru, hot pepper paste, and sugar in a small bowl.
- Add spicy mix to the broth with green onion and fish cakes or eggs.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces to 2 ½ cups.
- Serving and Storing
- Transfer rice cakes to a serving bowl, topping with mozzarella cheese, sesame seeds, and green onion.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container; reheat before serving.
- Serve with kimchi, pickled radish, ramen noodles, or a refreshing drink.
Notes
Tteokbokki is highly customizable: You can add fish cakes, hard-boiled eggs, or even ramen noodles.
If you're not a fan of spicy food, reduce the amount of gochugaru and gochujang.
The cheese topping is optional, but it adds a creamy touch to balance the spicyness.
This recipe can be served with traditional Korean side dishes like kimchi or pickled radish.