Super Simple Cream Tteokbokki by Ryu Soo-young (Rich & Creamy without Heavy Cream!)
Perfect for Vacation Snacks! Ryu Soo-young’s ‘Eonam Teacher’ Cream Tteokbokki Recipe. Discover the secret to a deep, savory cream sauce using only milk, butter, and fish sauce – no heavy cream needed. An easy-to-follow recipe for everyone.
Ryu Soo-young’s recipes from ‘Pyeonstorang’ are always simple yet incredibly delicious, making them a favorite among many. I decided to try his Cream Tteokbokki recipe, and visually and taste-wise, it was a true delight! This super simple recipe only requires basic ingredients like tteokbokki rice cakes, green onions, and fish cakes, making it a must-try for any tteokbokki lover. What’s ingenious is that Ryu Soo-young creates a rich and savory cream sauce, comparable to one made with heavy cream, using just milk, butter, and fish sauce. The caramelized green onions add a wonderful depth of flavor, perfectly complementing the chewy rice cakes and fish cakes. It’s a dish that’s not only great for kids’ snacks but also as an appetizer or even a late-night snack for adults. I’ll share the recipe for Ryu Soo-young’s Cream Tteokbokki, which my daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed, along with detailed cooking steps!
Main Ingredients- 300g Rice Tteokbokki cakes (approx. 20 pieces)
- 1 Green onion
- 3 sheets Fish cake
- 400ml Milk
- 200ml Water
Seasoning & Other Ingredients- 1/2 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Fish sauce (or substitute with soy sauce)
- 4 twists Black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 pinch Salt (for seasoning adjustment)
- 20g Butter (for finishing)
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Fish sauce (or substitute with soy sauce)
- 4 twists Black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 pinch Salt (for seasoning adjustment)
- 20g Butter (for finishing)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the rice cakes. I’m using 300g of soft, freshly made rice cakes from a local rice cake shop. You can substitute with chewy wheat cakes (mil-tteok) if you prefer. If using frozen rice cakes, soak them in water for a bit to soften them before cooking. I’ve slightly reduced the amount of fish cake, green onion, and butter compared to Ryu Soo-young’s original recipe; he used 4 sheets of fish cake, but I’m using 3.
Step 2
I’ve adjusted the ingredients: using 20g of butter instead of 40g, and 1 green onion instead of 2. Slice the fish cakes into bite-sized triangles, and cut the green onion into roughly 3-4cm pieces. Set aside the 20g of butter for the final step, which will add richness.
Step 3
Now, let’s caramelize the green onions to enhance their flavor. Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat (no oil needed). Add the sliced green onions and cook them until they are lightly browned and caramelized on both sides. This step brings out the natural sweetness and a deeper aroma from the green onions, significantly elevating the cream tteokbokki’s taste. Don’t skip this!
Step 4
Once the green onions are nicely caramelized, it’s time to add the main components of the tteokbokki. Pour in 200ml of water, add 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic, followed by the rice cakes and fish cakes.
Step 5
Next, add 400ml of milk, which forms the creamy base, and 1 Tbsp of fish sauce for that savory depth. Stir everything together well. Now, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Step 6
Remember to stir frequently to prevent the rice cakes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the sauce comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer gently.
Step 7
The key to this dish is achieving the perfect cream sauce consistency. Continue to simmer over medium heat until the milk and water reduce and the sauce thickens. Even if it looks quite liquidy at first, as it simmers, it will naturally become creamy. Once it reaches your desired creamy consistency, lower the heat to medium-low. Add the black pepper and the remaining 20g of butter, stirring until the butter is fully melted. The butter will make the sauce incredibly smooth and rich.
Step 8
Behold the creamy tteokbokki, boasting a deep, smooth flavor achieved with simple seasonings! Taste the sauce at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding a little more salt or fish sauce. I added a tiny pinch of salt to get it just right.
Step 9
Transferring the delicious Cream Tteokbokki to a serving dish yields about two generous portions, as shown in the picture. It’s truly amazing how you can create such a fantastic cream tteokbokki without using any heavy cream! This is a perfect dish for a family snack or a special treat. Give it a try!
