Clean Sweet and Spicy Tteokbokki (Simmered Rice Cakes)
A clean-tasting sliced rice cake tteokbokki seasoned with chili flakes and curry powder instead of gochujang.
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 →
This recipe skips gochujang and uses fine gochugaru and curry powder to bring out a clean, sweet, and spicy umami flavor. Thin sliced rice cakes absorb the sauce deeply in a short time. To keep the fish cake delightfully chewy, it is best to add it at the very end and let it boil up briefly.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Sliced rice cakes (tteokguk-tteok)300 g
- Square fish cake (eomuk)3 sheets
- Boiled egg4
- Cabbage100 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Water3 cups
- Broth tablet1 tablet
Tteokbokki sauce
- Fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Curry powder1 tbsp
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang), regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang))2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/3 tsp
- Pouring water that is too hot can cause the rice cakes to crack from the sudden temperature change, so soak them slowly in lukewarm water.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Soak the rice cakes in water to soften them.
When soaking frozen rice cakes, they sometimes crack.
That happens because of a sudden temperature difference if you pour water that is too hot. Just soak them slowly in lukewarm water.
Here are the square fish cakes, boiled eggs, cabbage, and large green onion.
Cut the ingredients
Cut the square fish cakes, cabbage, and large green onion into similar bite-sized lengths.
Make the tteokbokki sauce
Add 3 cups of water, 1 broth tablet, 2 tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tbsp curry powder, 2 tbsp tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or brewed or regular soy sauce), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/3 tsp ground black pepper to the pan.
Because we are creating a spicy color and flavor without gochujang, a generous amount of gochugaru goes in.
If you grind the gochugaru finely before adding, the sauce becomes much smoother.
Add ingredients and simmer
Add the rice cakes, large green onion, and cabbage, and boil so they blend well with the sauce.
Once the rice cakes soften and the vegetables are fairly cooked, add the boiled eggs and fish cake, bring it to a boil once more, and finish.
If you want to enjoy a chewy texture in the fish cake, it is good to add it at the end rather than from the beginning.
Complete
The sweet and spicy tteokbokki is done.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you grind the gochugaru finely before adding, the sauce becomes much smoother.
- If you want to enjoy a chewy texture in the fish cake, it is good to add it at the end rather than from the beginning.
FAQ
How do I prevent frozen sliced rice cakes from cracking while soaking?
To avoid sudden temperature changes, it is best to soak them slowly in lukewarm water instead of using water that is too hot.
Can I use another seasoning instead of tuna extract sauce?
Yes, regular soy sauce or brewed soy sauce is noted in the ingredients and can be used as a substitute.
How can I keep the fish cake pleasantly chewy?
Do not simmer it from the start; simply add it during the final cooking stage once the rice cakes and vegetables are fairly cooked, and let it boil briefly.
