Busan-Style Spicy Gochugaru Tteokbokki
Deep and Rich Flavor with Aged Sauce! Enjoy Unforgettable Busan-Style Tteokbokki at Home.
In Busan, tteokbokki is traditionally made with an aged sauce that uses a generous amount of chili powder rather than gochujang. This tteokbokki is incredibly delicious with its spicy yet deep and rich sauce. The chewy rice cakes, tender fish cakes, and sweet, simmered carrots create a perfect harmony. It’s an ideal choice for special occasions or a satisfying snack time!
Tteokbokki Ingredients- 500g Tteokbokki rice cakes (rice cakes or wheat flour cakes work well)
- 2 sheets of square fish cakes (cut as desired)
- 50g carrot (about 1/4 of a medium carrot, sliced to 0.5cm thickness)
- 600cc water
- 2 Tbsp commercial katsuobushi broth or anchovy broth (approx. 16g)
Aged Sauce Ingredients- 7 Tbsp fine chili powder (approx. 48-50g)
- 2 Tbsp Cheongyang chili powder (approx. 14-15g, add more for extra spice)
- 1 Tbsp glutinous rice flour (approx. 7g, thickens the sauce)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (approx. 20g, adjust sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp beef-flavored soup stock powder (MSG seasoning, approx. 7g)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste, approx. 30g, adds umami)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (approx. 8g, for seasoning)
- 10 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (approx. 100g, for gloss and sweetness)
- 7 Tbsp fine chili powder (approx. 48-50g)
- 2 Tbsp Cheongyang chili powder (approx. 14-15g, add more for extra spice)
- 1 Tbsp glutinous rice flour (approx. 7g, thickens the sauce)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (approx. 20g, adjust sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp beef-flavored soup stock powder (MSG seasoning, approx. 7g)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste, approx. 30g, adds umami)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (approx. 8g, for seasoning)
- 10 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (approx. 100g, for gloss and sweetness)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the key element that defines the flavor of this tteokbokki – the aged sauce! The measuring spoons used here are approximately 8cc, similar to a standard Korean rice spoon. Combine 7 Tbsp of fine chili powder, 2 Tbsp of Cheongyang chili powder (you can adjust this for your preferred spice level), 1 Tbsp of glutinous rice flour, 2 Tbsp of sugar, 1 Tbsp of beef-flavored soup stock powder, 1 Tbsp of gochujang, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, and 10 Tbsp of corn syrup in a large bowl. Mix all the sauce ingredients thoroughly until smooth and lump-free. Transfer the prepared sauce to an airtight container and let it age in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. The longer it ages, the deeper and richer the flavor will become. **Tip:** If you don’t have Cheongyang chili powder, you can substitute it with regular chili powder. For a more detailed visual guide, please refer to the linked video recipe. You can find more recipes and the latest updates faster by visiting the Duyeol’s Kitchen YouTube channel. Subscribing would be greatly appreciated!
Step 2
Now, it’s time to prepare the broth for the tteokbokki. In a pot, combine 600cc of water with 2 Tbsp (approximately 16g) of commercial katsuobushi broth or anchovy broth. While making homemade anchovy broth from scratch yields the best flavor, using a good quality store-bought broth is a convenient and delicious option when you’re short on time or energy. If you have homemade broth, feel free to use that instead.
Step 3
Bring the broth to a boil, then add all of the aged sauce that has been resting for 24 hours. Stir well to dissolve the sauce completely. Add the 50g of carrot, sliced to about 0.5cm thickness. While the carrot is optional, it becomes wonderfully tender and flavorful when simmered in the sauce, making it a delicious addition alongside the fish cakes. ^^
Step 4
Once the sauce mixture is boiling over high heat, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes to help the sauce dissolve and meld. Then, add the 500g of tteokbokki rice cakes (ensure they are thawed if frozen) and the 2 sheets of square fish cakes (about 100g), cut into bite-sized pieces as you prefer. This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce, so you can comfortably add an extra 100g of rice cakes and 2-3 more sheets of fish cakes if you like. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste.
Step 5
After adding the rice cakes and fish cakes, reduce the heat to the lowest setting (simmer). Stir every 1-2 minutes to prevent sticking and let it cook gently for about 10 minutes. This slow simmering process allows the sauce to deeply penetrate the rice cakes and fish cakes, and the umami from the fish cakes will perfectly meld into the sauce, creating a richer flavor.
Step 6
Voilà! Your thick and rich tteokbokki is ready. The spicy and sweet sauce is not only perfect for tteokbokki but also makes a fantastic dipping sauce for fried foods or sundae. Enjoy this delicious Busan-style tteokbokki conveniently made at home! It’s even better when served with fried items or sundae. Superb!
