Royal Stir-fried Rice Cakes (Gungjung Tteokbokki): A Festive Dish Rich in Tradition and Nutrition
Elevate Your Holiday Feast: A Recipe for Gungjung Tteokbokki with Dried Squash
Did you know that sharing tteok (rice cakes) symbolizes sharing ‘virtue’ (덕, deok)? Especially, the pure white gara-tteok (cylindrical rice cakes) are said to represent purifying old energies and entering the new year with a clean heart and purity. Eating tteokguk on Lunar New Year, which signifies aging one year, might be a reminder to accumulate and share more virtue with each passing year. This Royal Stir-fried Rice Cakes, made with traditional gara-tteok and dried pumpkin strips, one of the dried vegetables enjoyed on Daeboreum (a Korean folk holiday), was a nutritious royal snack and a festive dish during the Joseon Dynasty. Let’s resolve to become better people in the new year while savoring this exquisite Gungjung Tteokbokki, blending the meaningful gara-tteok with nutrient-rich dried pumpkin and colorful ingredients!
Ingredients (Serves 1)- Gara-tteok or Tteokbokki rice cakes, 1 serving (approx. 150-200g)
- Dried shiitake mushrooms, 3 pcs
- Dried pumpkin strips (hobak goji), 10 strips
- Onion, 1/4 medium
- Carrot, 2cm piece
- Red chili pepper, 1/2
- Green chili pepper or bell pepper, 1/4
- Egg omelet, 1/4 sheet
- Sesame oil, 1/2 tsp
- Cooking oil, a little
- Beef sirloin (optional), 1/2 handful (approx. 30-40g)
- Dried wood ear mushrooms, 2-3 pcs
Seasoning- Soy sauce, 1.5-2 Tbsp
- Honey or sugar, 1 Tbsp
- Minced green onion, 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil, 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper, a pinch
- Soy sauce, 1.5-2 Tbsp
- Honey or sugar, 1 Tbsp
- Minced green onion, 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil, 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper, a pinch
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Prepare dried ingredients: Soak dried pumpkin strips, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes until softened. Squeeze out excess water. Slice the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms into approximately 1.5cm wide strips. Marinate the shiitake mushrooms with about half of the prepared seasoning (approx. 1/2 Tbsp). (Optional: If using beef, thinly slice it against the grain and marinate it with the shiitake mushrooms. Slicing along the grain prevents the beef from breaking apart and maintains its shape.)
Step 2
2. Prepare rice cakes: Cut gara-tteok into about 4-5cm lengths and divide each into 4 pieces. If using tteokbokki rice cakes, prepare about 20-25 pieces. If your rice cakes are hard, briefly blanch them in boiling water for just 10-20 seconds, then rinse under cold water and drain. This prevents them from becoming mushy while softening them. Toss the drained rice cakes with 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil to keep them moist and chewy throughout the cooking process.
Step 3
3. Prepare vegetables and egg garnish: Slice the carrot into pieces similar in size to the rice cakes. Thinly slice the onion and chili peppers. Whisk an egg with a pinch of salt, cook it thinly in a lightly oiled pan to make an omelet, and then julienne it finely.
Step 4
4. Make the sauce and start stir-frying: While preparing the other ingredients, mix all the seasoning ingredients (soy sauce, honey/sugar, minced green onion, pepper) in a bowl and let them meld. Heat a little cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. First, sauté the onion and shiitake mushrooms (and beef, if using) until fragrant.
Step 5
→ Once the onion and shiitake mushrooms are aromatic, add the soaked dried pumpkin strips and carrots. Stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the sesame-oil-coated rice cakes and all the prepared seasoning sauce. Stir-fry until everything is well combined and coated. → Just before finishing, add the sliced chili peppers and stir-fry briefly. Drizzle a few more drops of sesame oil right before removing from heat for extra flavor. Garnish with the julienned egg omelet. Transfer to a serving dish and finish with a sprinkle of black pepper or sesame seeds, if desired.
