Rich & Sweet Jjajang Tteokbokki: A Delicious Home-Cooked Delight
Jjajang Tteokbokki Recipe
Transform your leftover ingredients into a fantastic Jjajang Tteokbokki! This dish boasts a deep, savory black bean sauce flavor and a delightful sweetness that makes it irresistibly addictive. Experience the wonderful fusion of tteokbokki and Korean black bean noodles.
Main Ingredients- 100g Beef (ground or finely chopped)
- 500g Mill Tteokbokki (rice cakes)
- 3 sheets Fish Cakes (eomuk)
- 1 stalk Green Onion (scallion)
- 3 leaves Chinese Cabbage
Sauce Ingredients- 40g Jjajang powder (Korean black bean paste powder)
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1/2 Tbsp Gochugaru (red pepper flakes) (Optional, for added spiciness)
- 1 cup Water (200ml)
- 40g Jjajang powder (Korean black bean paste powder)
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1/2 Tbsp Gochugaru (red pepper flakes) (Optional, for added spiciness)
- 1 cup Water (200ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, gently separate the mill tteokbokki if they are stuck together.
Step 2
Soak the separated rice cakes in cold water for about 10 minutes. Since Jjajang Tteokbokki isn’t very saucy like regular tteokbokki, pre-soaking the rice cakes helps them absorb the sauce better and ensures a soft, chewy texture.
Step 3
Prepare the ingredients for your Jjajang Tteokbokki: wash and chop the beef, fish cakes, green onion, and Chinese cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
Step 4
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel to remove excess blood. Then, finely chop it. Marinate the beef with a pinch of black pepper and a little sugar. This tenderizes the meat and enhances its flavor. (You can also use ground pork.)
Step 5
Dice the onion into roughly 1.5cm cubes.
Step 6
Chop the Chinese cabbage into similar-sized cubes, about 1.5cm. Adding cabbage not only provides a pleasant crunch but also releases its natural sweetness and vegetable juices, boosting the umami flavor of the dish.
Step 7
Cut the fish cakes into pieces similar in size to the rice cakes, about 2cm long. Cutting them into similar sizes makes for a more enjoyable eating experience.
Step 8
Slice the green onion into approximately 1cm thick pieces, cut diagonally. The fresh aroma of the green onion will blend beautifully with the jjajang sauce.
Step 9
All your vegetables, fish cakes, and beef are now prepped and ready to go. It’s time to start cooking!
Step 10
Thoroughly rinse the pre-soaked rice cakes under running water several times. Drain them well in a colander. Excess water on the rice cakes can cause splattering during cooking and dilute the sauce.
Step 11
In a small bowl, mix 1 cup (200ml) of water with 40g of jjajang powder until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. Dissolving the powder in water beforehand helps the sauce distribute evenly throughout the tteokbokki.
Step 12
Heat a wide pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil.
Step 13
Add the sliced green onions to the hot oil and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. This process, called ‘pa기름’ (green onion oil), infuses the oil with a wonderful aroma, adding depth to the dish.
Step 14
Once the green onions are fragrant, add the marinated beef (or ground meat). Break up any clumps and stir-fry until the beef is no longer pink.
Step 15
When the beef is mostly cooked, add the chopped fish cakes, Chinese cabbage, and onions. Stir-fry everything together until the vegetables begin to soften slightly and release their moisture.
Step 16
Add the pre-soaked rice cakes to the pan and toss them well with the other ingredients.
Step 17
Turn the heat up to high and stir-fry everything evenly for about a minute. Make sure to keep things moving to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 18
Reduce the heat to low and pour in the pre-mixed jjajang sauce. Stir in 1 tablespoon of mirin, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce to enhance the savory and sweet notes of the jjajang sauce.
Step 19
Increase the heat back to medium-high and stir-fry everything until the sauce coats the ingredients evenly and begins to bubble. Cooking it this way allows the rice cakes to become tender and fully absorb the flavor. (If you prefer a spicier kick, add 1/2 tablespoon of gochugaru. Adjust the sugar to your taste.)
Step 20
Continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the tteokbokki beautifully. Once the sauce has reduced slightly and has a nice, thick consistency, turn off the heat. Finish with a light sprinkle of black pepper for an extra layer of aroma.
Step 21
Your delicious Jjajang Tteokbokki is ready! Serve it hot and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for an appealing finish. It’s perfect as a snack or a unique meal.
Step 22
This Jjajang Tteokbokki is truly special and makes for a wonderful treat! If you have any leftover sauce, try mixing some cooked rice into it for a fantastic fried rice-like experience – highly recommended!
