Tteokbokki is a combination of rice cake and fish cake cooked in a hot and spicy sauce. Its a very popular street food in Korea, during winter. I have always been meaning to try making this but could never find the tteok (rice cakes) to make it. By luck I found a Korean grocer who had heaps of them, frozen and fresh.
So I made it then nearly ate all of it. I had to restrain myself because it was that good! It might not suit everyones palate as it is cooked in an anchovy stock and is super spicy but it was soooo yummy that I kept going back for more!
These are the rice cakes. They're super soft and chewy. They're quite plain tasting, that's why its cooked in a delicious sauce.
Gochujang (fermented red pepper paste), gochugaru (red pepper flakes) and tteok (rice cakes)
The fish cakes are chopped up to make reasonable bite sizes.
To make the anchovy stock, you put together some water and anchovy and boil it off until you reach your desired strength.
While the anchovy stock was being made, I combined some gochujang (fermented hot pepper paste), hot pepper flakes, sugar and garlic to create the hot and spicy sauce.
Tteokbokki
Serves 3
4 cups water (more if you need)
handful of dried anchovies (more or less as desired)
650g tteok (rice cake)
3 fish cake sheets
1/3 cup gochujang (fermented red chilli paste)
1 tbsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes)
1 tbsp sugar
3 garlic cloves
If your rice cakes and fish cakes are frozen, defrost them.
In a pot, boil the water and anchovies for about 10-15 mins or until an aromatic stock is formed.
In a small bowl, combine the gochujang, gochugaru, sugar and garlic cloves.
Once the stock is ready, remove the anchovies and dissolve in the hot pepper paste mixture.
Once dissolved, add the rice cakes and fish cakes. Let it cook for about 5-10 mins or until the sauce thickens and the rice and fish cakes are soft. Add extra water if it thickens to quickly or if you want it a little watery.
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
