Foolproof Tteokbokki with Baek Jong-won’s Perfect Sauce Ratio
Delicious Tteokbokki Recipe Made Easy with a Golden Ratio Sauce
There are many ways to make Tteokbokki, but the most crucial element is the sauce. Chef Baek Jong-won emphasized the importance of a perfect sauce ratio for delicious Tteokbokki. With just sugar, fine gochugaru (red pepper flakes), coarse gochugaru, gochujang (red pepper paste), soy sauce, and black pepper, you can achieve a harmonious balance of sweet, spicy, savory, and salty flavors. For extra gloss and flavor, you can substitute sugar with jocheong (grain syrup) or mulyeot (corn syrup). If you’re looking for a healthier option, oligosaccharide is a great choice. Let’s start by making this simple and delicious Tteokbokki sauce and then prepare a basic Tteokbokki.
Tteokbokki Ingredients- 2 cups Tteokguk tteok (rice cake soup slices)
- 5 pieces of regular Tteokbokki tteok (optional, for texture and appearance)
- 2 sheets of square fish cakes
- 1 cup green onions (cut into large pieces)
- 1 cup water (or broth)
- 1/2 cup pre-made Tteokbokki sauce
- A pinch of black pepper (for finishing)
Tteokbokki All-Purpose Sauce (Paper cup measurement)- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coarse gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 cup fine gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 2/3 cup gochujang (red pepper paste)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coarse gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 cup fine gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
- 2/3 cup gochujang (red pepper paste)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the all-purpose sauce that will determine the flavor of our Tteokbokki. We’ll use paper cups for measuring. To minimize dishwashing, we’ll make the sauce directly in an airtight container or pot. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of coarse gochugaru, 1/2 cup of fine gochugaru, 2/3 cup of gochujang, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, and 1 cup of water. Mixing fine and coarse gochugaru creates a richer flavor, but if you only have coarse gochugaru, using 1 cup of it is perfectly fine. Whisk everything together until well combined. Using a whisk will help prevent lumps and create a smoother sauce.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the ingredients for the Tteokbokki. Tteokguk tteok (rice cake soup slices) cook much faster than regular Tteokbokki tteok, making them more convenient. However, if you prefer the classic Tteokbokki look, you can mix in a few pieces of regular tteok. Prepare 2 cups of Tteokguk tteok and 5 pieces of regular Tteokbokki tteok. Cut the 2 sheets of fish cakes into bite-sized pieces. Also, prepare 1 cup of large-cut green onions and 1 cup of water. (Tip: Instead of plain water, using anchovy broth, kelp broth, or vegetable broth will add more depth of flavor.)
Step 3
Gently rinse the Tteokbokki tteok and Tteokguk tteok under cold water. This is especially important for regular Tteokbokki tteok, as they often have a coating of oil from the manufacturing process to prevent sticking.
Step 4
It’s time to combine all the ingredients and cook the Tteokbokki. In the pot, add the Tteokbokki ingredients (tteokguk tteok, regular tteok, fish cakes, green onions) and half of the pre-made all-purpose sauce (1/2 cup). To ensure you use every bit of the sauce, rinse the container it was in with a little water and add it to the pot. Add an additional 1 cup of water. (Note: Start with about twice the amount of water as the sauce, and adjust the consistency as it cooks.) Bring everything to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sauce thickens and the rice cakes are tender.
Step 5
For an extra spicy kick, consider adding sliced Cheongyang peppers or extra Cheongyang gochugaru. Capsaicin sauce is also an option. Chef Baek Jong-won recommends Tteokguk tteok for quicker cooking at home. He advises cooking thin rice cakes over high heat to prevent them from getting mushy, and for thicker rice cakes, simmering over low heat for a longer time is key. Don’t forget to finish with a pinch of black pepper for added aroma and flavor.
Step 6
To add a glossy sheen and sweetness, you can use jocheong (grain syrup) or mulyeot (corn syrup) instead of sugar. Mulyeot, in particular, gives Tteokbokki a beautiful shine. Adjust the sauce consistency to your preference. You can let it reduce until it’s thick and sticky, or leave it slightly saucy. Enjoy your delicious Tteokbokki!
