Korean Spicy Rice Cakes (Print View)

Chewy rice cakes in a spicy, sweet chili sauce with fresh green onions and sesame seeds.

# Components:

→ Rice Cakes

01 - 17.6 oz Korean cylindrical rice cakes (tteok)
02 - 4.2 cups water

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
04 - 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon honey or corn syrup
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth

09 - 3 cups water
10 - 1 piece dried kelp (kombu), approx. 3 x 3 inches
11 - 4 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional, omit for strict vegetarian)

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
13 - 1 small onion, sliced
14 - ½ cup chopped cabbage (optional)
15 - 2 boiled eggs, peeled (optional)
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if firm or refrigerated to soften.
02 - In a medium pot, combine 3 cups water with kelp and anchovies (if used). Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove solids to reserve broth.
03 - Whisk gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey, and minced garlic into the hot broth until fully dissolved.
04 - Add rice cakes, sliced onion, and cabbage (if using) to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce thickens and rice cakes achieve soft, chewy texture.
06 - Stir in green onions and boiled eggs (if used) during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to each chewy rice cake in a way that feels almost luxurious, sweet heat balanced perfectly against savory depth.
  • You can have a complete meal on the table in under thirty minutes, which makes it perfect for when you're hungry now, not in an hour.
  • It's endlessly forgiving—too spicy, add honey; not spicy enough, add more gochugaru; need more volume, throw in vegetables you have lying around.
02 -
  • Do not skip steeping the kelp and anchovies—the broth is what separates homemade tteokbokki from something flat and one-note.
  • The sauce needs to reduce and thicken; if you have too much liquid at the end, the rice cakes will taste drowned rather than glazed.
  • Rice cakes vary wildly in how quickly they soften, so start checking at 10 minutes and be ready to pull the pot off heat the moment they're tender enough to bite through easily.
03 -
  • Make your broth earlier in the day if you can, letting the flavors settle and deepen before you finish the dish—it tastes noticeably better.
  • Keep your rice cakes separate until the last moment so they don't absorb water and become waterlogged before they hit the sauce.
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