Tteokbokki: The Quintessential Korean Comfort Food Recipe
Making Tteokbokki: A Beloved National Snack
Tteokbokki, a dish loved by all Koreans, is truly a national treasure! Let’s learn how to make it deliciously at home. This recipe brings you the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors, with wonderfully chewy rice cakes and tender fish cakes. Perfect for any occasion!
Key Tteokbokki Ingredients- 500g Tteokbokki rice cakes (tteok)
- 5 sheets of fish cake (eomuk)
- 1 bunch of green onions
- 1 medium onion
- 3 hard-boiled eggs (optional)
- 350-500ml water (for adjusting consistency)
Spicy and Sweet Tteokbokki Sauce- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or corn syrup/sugar)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or corn syrup/sugar)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the tteokbokki rice cakes. If using dried rice cakes, soak them in cool water for about 10 minutes. If they are frozen, soak them in warm water for 5-10 minutes until softened. This prevents them from breaking apart during cooking and ensures a chewier texture. If the rice cakes are very hard, soak them in lukewarm water until pliable.
Step 2
Next, prepare the vegetables and fish cakes. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Cut the green onions into long pieces or diagonally into bite-sized sections. Cut the fish cakes into desired shapes, such as triangles or rectangles. These ingredients will add flavor and texture to your tteokbokki.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the delicious tteokbokki sauce. In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of gochujang. This is the fundamental ingredient for the spicy flavor.
Step 4
Add 1.5 tablespoons of gochugaru. You can adjust the amount of chili flakes to control the spiciness. If you’re cooking for children, consider using less gochugaru.
Step 5
Add 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce to add savoriness and saltiness. Using regular soy sauce (ganjang) rather than soup soy sauce will give the tteokbokki its characteristic color and taste.
Step 6
Stir in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce to enhance the umami. Oyster sauce adds a deeper, richer flavor to the tteokbokki.
Step 7
Add 2 tablespoons of ketchup for a tangy and sweet flavor. Ketchup helps to balance the spiciness and makes the dish more appealing, even to children.
Step 8
Finally, add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for sweetness. You can substitute this with corn syrup or sugar. It also adds a nice sheen to the tteokbokki and enhances its overall flavor.
Step 9
Now it’s time to add the water for cooking the tteokbokki. Use about 350ml to 500ml of water. The amount of water will determine the thickness of the sauce, so adjust it to your preference. If you prefer a soupier tteokbokki, use up to 500ml of water.
Step 10
Combine the sauce ingredients and water in a pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boiling the sauce first allows the flavors to meld together and creates the base for your tteokbokki. Taste the sauce and add a little more soy sauce or salt if needed.
Step 11
Once the sauce is boiling, add the prepared rice cakes, fish cakes, onion, and green onions to the pot. Stir everything together to ensure the ingredients are well coated in the sauce.
Step 12
Continue to simmer over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the rice cakes and fish cakes are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, coating the tteok. Adding the hard-boiled eggs at this stage makes the tteokbokki even more satisfying! Your spicy and sweet tteokbokki is ready! Serve it generously and enjoy!
