Description

Tteokbokki is a popular Korean street food featuring chewy rice cakes stir-fried in a spicy and slightly sweet gochujang-based sauce. This recipe includes fish cakes, cabbage, scallions, and a flavorful anchovy broth that enhances the depth of the dish. Perfect for a comforting snack or meal, it offers a satisfying balance of soft textures and bold flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 pound tteokbokki tteok 떡볶이 떡 (about 24 3-inch long rice cake pieces)
1-2 eomuk 어묵 (fish cake) sheets
4 ounces green cabbage (yangbaechu, 양배추)
1-2 scallions
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Broth Ingredients

8-10 medium to large dried anchovies (마른멸치), about 0.5 ounces (15 grams)
1 piece dasima (dried kelp), about 3-inch square
1/4 medium onion, roughly sliced
5 cups water

Tteokbokki Sauce

3 cups anchovy broth or water (use 4 cups for more sauce)
3 tablespoons gochujang, 고추장
1-3 teaspoons gochugaru, 고추가루 (finely ground)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar (use 1 tablespoon for less sweet)
1 tablespoon corn syrup (or oligo syrup) – increase sugar if not using

Optional

2 boiled eggs

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Instructions

Soak Rice Cakes: Soak the tteokbokki rice cakes in water for about 20 minutes to soften them, especially if they are refrigerated or slightly hardened.
Prepare Vegetables and Fish Cake: Cut the fish cake, cabbage, and scallions into approximately 2-inch long pieces. Mince the garlic.
Make Anchovy Broth: In a large pan, combine dried anchovies, dried kelp (dasima), and roughly sliced onion with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Adjust heat to medium if boiling too vigorously. Then remove anchovies, kelp, and onion from the broth, leaving a flavorful stock.
Add Sauce Ingredients: To the broth in the pan, add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and corn syrup. Stir well to dissolve the chili paste completely into the broth, creating the tteokbokki sauce.
Add Rice Cakes and Simmer: Introduce the soaked rice cakes into the sauce. Boil them, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the rice cakes become very soft and the sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. This timing may vary depending on the rice cakes’ freshness.
Add Vegetables and Fish Cakes: Add the cut cabbage, minced garlic, and fish cakes to the pan. Continue boiling and stir occasionally for another 4 to 6 minutes. Add more broth or water if needed to maintain a saucy consistency.
Finish with Scallions and Eggs: Add the scallions and optional boiled eggs during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve Hot: Serve the tteokbokki hot for the best flavor and texture. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

You can find tteokbokki rice cakes fresh, refrigerated, or frozen at Korean markets. Fresh local rice cakes are best; otherwise, use refrigerated or frozen ones in that order.
For a different sauce variation, try 2 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons finely ground gochugaru, and 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce for a cleaner, spicier flavor.
Finely ground gochugaru blends better into the sauce. You can grind regular gochugaru in a spice grinder or sift it through a sieve.
Tteokbokki reheats poorly in the microwave. Reheat leftovers with some broth or water in a pan over low heat for better results.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 800 mg
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg