Mild Gungjung Tteokbokki (Royal Court Rice Cakes) for Kids
A non-spicy tteokbokki made by stir-frying blanched rice cakes, pork, and vegetables in a savory soy sauce seasoning.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Stir-fried in a soy sauce seasoning instead of gochujang, this dish is easy for children and the elderly to enjoy. Blanching the rice cakes and tossing them in soy sauce and toasted sesame oil keeps them chewy and prevents sticking. Sized for 2 servings and loaded with plenty of meat and vegetables, it makes a wonderful full meal or special snack.
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tteokbokki rice cakes200 g
- Pork loin100 g
- Shiitake mushrooms1
- Onion1/4
- Bell pepper1/2
- Carrot1/5
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- You can use thinly sliced pork front shoulder or hind leg bulgogi cuts, and beef bulgogi works well too.
- For the vegetables, just a small amount of mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot, and onion is enough. Think of preparing the ingredients for japchae without the glass noodles.
Steps
Slice the ingredients
Slice the meat against the grain into bite-sized lengths.
I find this easier and nicer than mincing it too finely.
Cut all the vegetables into thin strips.
Marinate the meat
Mix 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, and 1/2 tbsp sugar until well combined.
Pour half of the seasoning over the meat and mix well to marinate. The remaining half will be used when stir-frying.
Season the rice cakes
Blanch the rice cakes briefly in boiling water until soft, drain, then season with 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) and 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil.
Coating them in this oil and soy sauce marinade seasons the rice cakes and prevents them from sticking together.
Stir-fry the ingredients
Add the meat to a pan and stir-fry until cooked through.
Without adding cooking oil, stir-fry with about 2 tbsp of water, then add the rice cakes, carrot, onion, and the reserved seasoning sauce.
Once the carrot and onion have softened slightly, add the bell pepper and mushrooms, and stir-fry briefly until tender.
You can stir-fry while adding a little water at a time to keep everything moist.
Finally, add 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot) to add sweetness and give it a glossy finish, and if it tastes bland, add a little more soy sauce as you stir-fry.
Turn off the heat, add 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and toss to finish.
Complete
Because not much water is added to the sauce, it leaves almost no residue in the pan once you finish eating, keeping it very neat.
If you used glass noodles instead of rice cakes here, it would simply be japchae.
The soft and chewy texture of the rice cakes makes every bite a pleasure.
Taking a bite of rice cakes, meat, and vegetables together like you would with japchae brings out a rich harmony of flavors and textures.
It is also delicious if you substitute your favorite vegetables or beef, so try making it with ingredients tailored to your taste.
Ppunwife's tips
- Coating the rice cakes in this oil and soy sauce marinade seasons them and keeps them from sticking together.
- You can stir-fry while adding a little water at a time to keep everything moist.
FAQ
Can I use another cut or type of meat instead of pork loin?
You can use thinly sliced pork front shoulder or hind leg bulgogi cuts, or substitute beef bulgogi.
Why toss the rice cakes in seasoning before stir-frying?
Coating the blanched rice cakes in soy sauce and sesame oil allows the flavors to absorb and prevents them from sticking to each other.
What should I do if the pan becomes too dry while stir-frying?
You can simply add small splashes of water while stir-frying to keep everything moist.
