Spicy TteokBokkI

TteokBokkI (떡볶이) is one of the most popular Korean street foods. Since the way to cook this food is very easy and simple, Korean people often make it at home too. Depending on your personal tastes, you can make it spicier or sweeter. This snack has many different names according to its ingredients such as cheese TteokBokkI, RaBokkI (Ramen noodles), GanJang TteokBokkI, or GungJung TteokBokkI (soy sauce).

Yield: 3 Servings

Short Korean Lesson

• EoRinEe (어린이) = Child
• EoRinEeDeul (어린이들) = Children

Video Instructions

Main Ingredients

• 2 Cups (30 Pieces) Sticky Rice Cakes (2 inch)
• 2 Fried Fish Cakes
• 1 Cup Cabbage
• ⅔ Cup Onion
• ½ Cup Carrot
• 1 Green Onion
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds

Broth Ingredients

• 2½ Cups Water
• 6 Pieces Kelp (1×2 Inch)
• 1 Dried Anchovy Pack (Optional)

Sauce Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp Hot Pepper Paste
• 1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Powder
• 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup
• ½ Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• ½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
• Some Sesame Seeds (to garnish)

Directions

To make the broth we need 4 pieces of medium-sized dried anchovies that I’m going to put them in a bag along with 6 pieces of kelp and 2 pieces of fish cake. Here, dried anchovies and kelp are optional. Pour 2½ cups of water in a pan and add the fish cake, kelp, and anchovies.  Cook it for about 10 minutes on medium-high.

While making the broth, let’s prep some of the vegetables.Slice ½ cup worth of an onion into quarter-inch pieces. Cut ½ cup worth of a carrot diagonally. Cut 1 green onion into ½-inch pieces. Cut ⅔ cup worth of cabbage into quarter-inch pieces.

After 10 minutes, remove the kelp, fish cakes, and anchovy pack from the broth. Save the fish cakes for later and discard the kelp and anchovy pack.

Cut the cooked fish cakes into 2-inch pieces. We also need 2 cups of sticky rice cakes for tteokbokki.

In the broth, add 3 Tbsp of hot pepper paste, 1 Tbsp of hot pepper powder, 2 Tbsp of corn syrup, ½ Tbsp of sugar, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, and ½ Tbsp of minced garlic. Depending on your tastes, you can make your tteokbokki sweeter or spicier by changing the amount of sugar or hot pepper paste. If you don’t like spicy food, skip the hot pepper powder. You can use sugar instead of corn syrup. Cook it for 5 minutes on medium-high.

After 5 minutes, add the rice cakes, carrot, onion, and cabbage into the broth.

Cook it for about 5 minutes on medium-high, or until the rice cakes become soft. Depending on the rice cake brand, the cooking time can vary.

When the rice cakes are done the cooking, add the fish cakes and cook for 1 more minute.

Lastly, add the green onion, cook for another minute, and then turn off the heat.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of TteokBokKi just before serving.

 

Enjoy! 😀