Nostalgic Korean Rice Cake Skewers (Tteokkochi)
Chewy, Sweet & Sour, Slightly Spicy: Homemade Restaurant-Style Tteokkochi
Chewy, sweet and sour, with a hint of spice! This is the ‘just right!’ flavor that brings back memories of street-style rice cake skewers. The addictive taste of Tteokkochi makes it impossible to stop eating. A street food stall selling such delicious Tteokkochi would surely be a huge hit! Make your own restaurant-quality Tteokkochi easily at home.
Tteokkochi Ingredients- 1 pack garae-tteok (rice cakes for tteokbokki or long, cylindrical ones)
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
Spicy Sweet Tteokkochi Sauce- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup (or mulyeot/oligosaccharide)
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- Sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup (or mulyeot/oligosaccharide)
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- Sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
I don’t usually eat packaged rice cakes, but these from the organic co-op were made with pure Korean rice and tasted great. They had the perfect long shape for making Tteokkochi.
Step 2
Seeing these thick, country-style rice cakes instantly brought back memories of the sweet and sour Tteokkochi I loved as a child. They have such a nostalgic look!
Step 3
If you’re using hardened rice cakes, you need to parboil them in cold water from the start to prevent them from becoming mushy. If your rice cakes are already soft, you can skip this step.
Step 4
Once the rice cakes are soft, drain them from the water. Be careful not to overcook them, or they might fall apart.
Step 5
Rinsing the rice cakes under cold water makes them chewier. Lightly pat them dry.
Step 6
Now it’s time to skewer the rice cakes. Gently push the skewers into the rice cakes so they don’t break. Tteokkochi just isn’t the same without being on a skewer!
Step 7
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a wide pan. Fry the rice cake skewers until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. The key is to cook them slowly over medium-low heat.
Step 8
While the rice cakes are frying, let’s make the delicious sauce! In a small bowl, combine the gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, corn syrup, and ketchup. Mix well. You can adjust the amount of sugar or corn syrup to your preference for sweetness.
Step 9
Remove the fried rice cakes from the pan and add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat to medium and let the sauce bubble up. Once it starts boiling, immediately turn off the heat to prevent the sauce from burning.
Step 10
Dip the skewered rice cakes into the hot sauce and coat them evenly on all sides. Ensure every piece is well-covered with the delicious sauce.
Step 11
Voila! Your delicious, nostalgic street-style Tteokkochi is ready. The appetizing appearance is making my mouth water already.
Step 12
Arrange the finished Tteokkochi neatly on a plate. Present them beautifully, perfect for sharing with others.
Step 13
Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for extra nutty flavor and visual appeal. Enjoy your delicious Tteokkochi!
