Chewy and Delicious Tteokbokki: The Ultimate Recipe
Mastering the Perfect Spicy and Sweet Tteokbokki Sauce
For all you tteokbokki lovers out there! Get ready to create incredibly chewy rice cakes coated in a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy sauce. This guide will help you achieve restaurant-quality tteokbokki right in your own kitchen.
Tteokbokki Ingredients (using a standard Korean measuring cup)
- 500g chewy rice cakes (tteokbokki tteok)
- 2 cups green onions, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 sheets of square fish cakes (eomuk), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2-3 hard-boiled eggs (optional, to taste)
- 1 Tbsp salt (for blanching tteok)
- 2 Tbsp sugar (for blanching tteok)
The Dreamy Tteokbokki Sauce (using a standard measuring spoon)
- 900ml cold water
- 2.5 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 4 Tbsp guk-ganjang (soy sauce for soup, or regular soy sauce)
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 0.5 Tbsp dashida (MSG, optional for enhanced flavor)
- 900ml cold water
- 2.5 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 4 Tbsp guk-ganjang (soy sauce for soup, or regular soy sauce)
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 0.5 Tbsp dashida (MSG, optional for enhanced flavor)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The secret to amazing tteokbokki lies in its chewy texture! Using rice cakes (ssal tteok) will give you that perfect chewiness. First, soak the rice cakes in cold water for about 10 minutes to soften them. Then, in a pot, bring water to a boil with 1 Tbsp salt and 2 Tbsp sugar. Once boiling, add the softened rice cakes and cook for about 20 minutes. This process infuses the rice cakes with a subtle sweetness and seasoning. After cooking, drain the rice cakes and quickly rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process and prevent them from sticking together, which helps maintain their chewy texture.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables that add freshness and flavor! The green onions provide a refreshing note to the tteokbokki. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 2-3 cm long. (Tip: Adding shredded cabbage at this stage can introduce a lovely sweetness and bulk to the dish. Chop the cabbage to a similar size as the green onions.)
Step 3
Next, prepare the square fish cakes, also known as eomuk. Fish cakes are crucial for adding that savory umami depth to tteokbokki. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, approximately 2-3 cm. You can cut them into triangles or rectangles, depending on your preference.
Step 4
It’s time to create the magical sauce that makes tteokbokki so irresistible! In a wide pot or wok, pour in 900ml of cold water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is vigorously boiling, add the gochujang (Korean chili paste) first. It’s important to dissolve the gochujang completely into the water using a whisk or spoon to ensure a smooth sauce without lumps. A well-dissolved sauce ensures a clean and pleasant taste for your tteokbokki.
Step 5
Once the gochujang is smoothly incorporated, add the guk-ganjang (soy sauce) for savory depth, sugar for sweetness, and gochugaru (chili flakes) for a spicy kick. All the sauce ingredients are now in the pot. Stir everything together well.
Step 6
Now, let’s add the prepared vegetables. Add the green onions (and cabbage, if using) to the pot. Stir them with the sauce and let them cook until they soften slightly, about 2-3 minutes. As the vegetables cook, they release a natural sweetness that further deepens the flavor of the sauce.
Step 7
Once the vegetables have softened a bit, it’s time to add the stars of the dish: the hard-boiled eggs, sliced fish cakes, and the blanched chewy rice cakes. Gently stir everything together with a spatula, ensuring the sauce coats all the ingredients evenly. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 8
By now, your kitchen should be filled with an enticing aroma! Taste the sauce. If you feel it’s missing something, a tiny bit of Dashida (MSG), about 0.5 Tbsp, can elevate the flavor significantly. It will help achieve that familiar, delicious tteokbokki taste you often find at Korean snack bars.
Step 9
Finally, continue simmering for another 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency and the flavors have melded beautifully. This will result in a rich, thick, and utterly delicious tteokbokki. 🙂 Enjoy it while it’s hot!