Tteokbokki – Spicy Rice Cakes

Difficulty:

2/5

Serves:

3-6 PEOPLE

Tteokbokki – Spicy Rice Cakes (South Korea)

Tteokbokki – Spicy Rice Cakes (South Korea) is a popular Korean street food featuring chewy rice cakes simmered in a rich, spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Mixed with fish cakes, onions, and sesame, it’s bold, comforting, and irresistibly saucy—perfect for a quick, flavorful bite that packs heat and satisfaction in every mouthful.

Ingredients:

400 g Korean rice cakes
200 g Korean fish cakes
2 cups (480ml) dashi (made with hondashi following package instructions)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp (44.4ml) gochujang Korean chili paste
1 ½ tbsp (22.2ml) honey
1 tbsp (14.8ml) soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp (4.9ml) gochugaru Korean chili flakes
1 tsp (4.9ml) cornstarch
1 tsp (4.9ml) toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp (9.9ml) sesame oil
1 green onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp (29.6ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil

Method:

Place the rice cakes in a bowl of warm water and allow them to soak for 10 minutes.

Combine the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and gochugaru in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and fish cakes and toss for 30 seconds. Transfer the fish cakes out of the wok and wipe out any excess oil.

Add the dashi and sauce to the wok, stir together and bring to a boil. Add the fried fish cakes, rice cakes, and onion and continue to boil for 8 minutes.

Stir together the cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Toss the cornstarch slurry into the wok and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes.

Serve tteokbokki topped with toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sliced green onion.