Deliciously Spicy and Sweet Oil-Fried Rice Cakes (Gireum Tteokbokki)
Deliciously Spicy and Sweet Oil-Fried Rice Cakes (Gireum Tteokbokki)
Making Oil-Fried Rice Cakes with Leftover Tteokguk Rice Cakes from Lunar New Year
Do you have a lot of tteokguk (rice cake soup) rice cakes in your freezer right now? I made a delicious oil-fried tteokbokki that you can enjoy with just rice cakes. This recipe is perfect for using up leftover ingredients and results in a wonderfully chewy and savory snack!
Ingredients- Tteokguk rice cakes 2 handfuls (approx. 200g) – thawed or fresh
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 Tbsp (using a standard Korean soup spoon)
- Sugar 1/2 Tbsp (using a standard Korean soup spoon)
- Soy sauce 1.5 Tbsp (using a standard Korean soup spoon)
- Minced garlic 1/2 Tbsp (using a standard Korean soup spoon)
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp (using a standard Korean soup spoon)
- Cooking oil 3 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
If using frozen tteokguk rice cakes, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until they become soft and chewy. If you are using fresh, soft rice cakes, you can skip this step.
Step 2
Drain the blanched rice cakes thoroughly. It’s crucial to remove excess water, as this can cause the rice cakes to stick together or prevent them from getting crispy when fried. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 3
In a large bowl, combine the dried rice cakes with gochugaru (1 Tbsp), sugar (1/2 Tbsp), soy sauce (1.5 Tbsp), minced garlic (1/2 Tbsp), and sesame oil (1 Tbsp). Measure using a standard Korean soup spoon for accuracy. Gently mix everything together with your hands until the rice cakes are evenly coated with the seasoning.
Step 4
The key to delicious oil-fried tteokbokki is plenty of oil! Pour 3 Tbsp of cooking oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium heat. Be careful not to overheat the pan, as this could burn the rice cakes.
Step 5
Add the seasoned rice cakes to the heated pan and stir-fry them quickly over high heat, as if you’re deep-frying them. Keep stirring with chopsticks or a spatula to prevent sticking. Continue stir-frying for about 2-3 minutes until the surface of the rice cakes is slightly golden and chewy. For an extra touch, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
