Simple Tteokbokki
Chewy Tteokguk Rice Cakes Tteokbokki Made with Just 3 Simple Sauces! The Pure, Classic Taste
Introducing a super simple, classic tteokbokki that anyone can easily make with just three basic sauces. Enjoy this addictive tteokbokki, where the chewy tteokguk rice cakes meet a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy flavor!
Main Ingredients
- 250g Tteokguk rice cakes (short, flat rice cake sticks)
- 1 sheet of fish cake (approx. 50g), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 green onion stalk, cut diagonally
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 300ml water
Classic Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (Jocheong)
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup (Jocheong)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Before you begin cooking, prepare all the necessary ingredients. Having your ingredients ready beforehand helps you proceed smoothly through the recipe without any interruptions.
Step 2
If your tteokguk rice cakes are frozen, soak them in cold water for about 5 minutes to soften them. Using them directly from frozen can result in them not breaking apart well or remaining tough. Adding ingredients like fish cake, onion, and green onion will make your tteokbokki even more delicious. Cut the fish cake into bite-sized pieces, slice the onion thinly, and cut the green onion diagonally.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of gochujang and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Lightly stir-frying the gochujang removes any raw, bitter taste and enhances its savory depth. Add the softened tteokguk rice cakes and stir-fry for another minute until they are evenly coated with the sauce.
Step 4
Now, pour in 300ml of water. At first, the water might seem a bit much, but it’s the right amount as the sauce will thicken as it simmers. If you prefer a milder taste, especially for children, you can increase the water slightly.
Step 5
Add 2 tablespoons of corn syrup (or rice syrup) and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to sweeten the sauce, and mix well. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency. It’s important to stir occasionally to prevent the tteokbokki from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 6
Once the sauce begins to thicken slightly, add the prepared fish cake and sliced onion. The fish cake absorbs the flavorful tteokbokki sauce, making it incredibly tasty, and the sweetness from the onion further enhances the overall flavor profile.
Step 7
Continue to simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the rice cakes, fish cake, and vegetables are well combined with the sauce. Let it simmer gently until the sauce reaches your preferred thickness. Pay attention to the heat to avoid burning.
Step 8
When the sauce has reduced to a nice consistency, add the diagonally sliced green onion and turn off the heat. The aromatic green onion will subtly infuse the tteokbokki, elevating its overall taste.
Step 9
After turning off the heat, give the tteokbokki one final stir to ensure the sauce is evenly distributed. Your simple yet delicious classic tteokbokki is now complete! Enjoy its best flavor served warm.
