Spicy Garlic Tteokbokki: An Addictive Korean Rice Cake Stir-fry
Tteokbokki infused with a zesty garlic flavor
This tteokbokki offers a delightful combination of a pungent garlic aroma and a thick, rich sauce made from starch. It’s a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory that will keep you coming back for more!
Tteokbokki Ingredients
- 300g Tteokbokki rice cakes (tteok)
- 2 sheets of square fish cakes (eomuk)
- 2 cups (400ml) water
Garlic Sauce Ingredients
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp ‘Yeondu’ (a savory Korean seasoning, ‘deeper flavor’ variety)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (mulyeot)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp starch (cornstarch or potato starch)
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp ‘Yeondu’ (a savory Korean seasoning, ‘deeper flavor’ variety)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (mulyeot)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp starch (cornstarch or potato starch)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the special sauce for our garlic tteokbokki! In a small bowl, combine 1.5 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of ‘Yeondu’ (deeper flavor variety), 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes (gochugaru), 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup (mulyeot), and 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk everything together until well combined. Using both soy sauce and ‘Yeondu’ adds a richer umami flavor.
Step 2
Rinse the 300g of tteokbokki rice cakes under cold water. If your rice cakes are very hard, you can briefly blanch them in boiling water for a softer texture. Cut the 2 sheets of fish cakes into bite-sized pieces, such as triangles. Next, prepare the starch slurry for thickening: in a separate small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of starch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth and lump-free. This will give our tteokbokki its signature thick consistency.
Step 3
Now it’s time to cook! Pour 2 cups (400ml) of water into a pot and dissolve the prepared garlic sauce mixture completely. Add the rice cakes and the cut fish cakes to the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes from sticking together.
Step 4
Once the rice cakes and fish cakes have softened, gradually pour in the starch slurry while stirring continuously to achieve the desired thickness. Add the slurry little by little until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. Once the sauce thickens, reduce the heat slightly and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Your delicious garlic tteokbokki is ready to be enjoyed while hot!
