Chewy Spicy Seafood Tteokbokki
Flavorful Taste of the Sea! The Golden Recipe for Spicy and Chewy Seafood Tteokbokki
A delightful combination of spicy sauce and fresh seafood! Enjoy this chewy tteokbokki with a variety of seafood at home. The savory flavors of different sea creatures create a rich and satisfying dish.
Main Ingredients
- 250g prepared baby octopus
- 1 squid (body only)
- 5 frozen shrimp
- 200g tteokbokki rice cakes
- 1/4 onion
- 3 leaves of cabbage
- 1 small green onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Cheongju (rice wine)
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups (400ml) water
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp gochujang (red pepper paste)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1/5 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chili oil
- 2 cups (400ml) water
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp gochujang (red pepper paste)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1/5 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chili oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Preparing the Fresh Seafood: First, carefully separate the tentacles from the squid’s body, and remove the hard innards (quill) from inside the body. Cut off the fins behind the eyes of the squid and peel off the outer skin. For the baby octopus, cut off the head with scissors, then pull out the innards from the suckers from top to bottom to clean thoroughly. Trim off the hard protrusion around the octopus’s eyes with scissors. Press the mouth area on the inside of the tentacles to remove the black cartilage. Wash the prepared squid and baby octopus by rubbing them vigorously with 1 Tbsp flour and a pinch of salt. This effectively removes any debris from the suckers or skin. Rinse them several times until the water runs clear, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Thaw and rinse the shrimp briefly.
Step 2
Preparing Vegetables and Garlic: Cut the cabbage into approximately 2cm x 3cm rectangular pieces. Slice the green onion diagonally for an appealing look. Slice the onion into strips, and slice the garlic thinly to enhance the aroma.
Step 3
Making the Spicy and Sweet Tteokbokki Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, corn syrup, salt, black pepper, and the minced garlic. Pour in 2 cups (400ml) of water and whisk until smooth and well combined. (Tip: When you’re actually cooking, it’s more convenient to dissolve the sauce ingredients and water directly in the pot you’ll be using to cook the tteokbokki.)
Step 4
Cooking the Tteokbokki: Rinse the tteokbokki rice cakes thoroughly. Pour the prepared sauce into a pot, add the rice cakes, and bring to a boil over high heat. It’s crucial to stir the rice cakes occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the rice cakes are soft and chewy.
Step 5
Stir-frying Seafood and Vegetables for Flavor: Heat a pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp of chili oil. Stir-fry for about 1 minute to release its aroma. Add the prepared vegetables like onion and cabbage, and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until they are slightly softened, bringing out their sweetness and flavor.
Step 6
Stir-frying the Seafood: Once the vegetables are partially stir-fried, add the prepared squid, baby octopus, and shrimp to the pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of Cheongju (rice wine) to eliminate any fishy odors and enhance the flavor. Stir-fry for only about 1 minute. (Tip: Be careful not to overcook the seafood, as it can become tough!)
Step 7
Combining All Ingredients and Stir-frying Quickly: When the sauce in the tteokbokki pot has reduced by more than half, add the stir-fried seafood and vegetables to the pot. Stir-fry everything together quickly for 1-2 minutes to ensure all the ingredients are well combined. This allows the flavors of the vegetables and seafood to meld beautifully with the tteokbokki sauce, making it even more delicious. (Tip: Since seafood can become tough if cooked for too long, it’s best to add it at the end and mix quickly.)
