Homemade Spicy & Sweet Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cakes)
Homemade Spicy & Sweet Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cakes)
Authentic Yeopddeok Style! The Golden Recipe for Deliciously Spicy Tteokbokki at Home
Yeopddeok is incredibly delicious, but the large portions can sometimes deter us from enjoying it frequently. I wanted to try making it myself, and finally discovered a recipe that captures the essence of that amazing Yeopddeok flavor! I’m excited to share it with you all. Get ready to recreate that addictive spicy and sweet kick in your own kitchen!
Main Ingredients- Tteokbokki rice cakes
- Fish cakes (flat, square type)
- Fresh cabbage
- Plump sausages
Special Sauce Mix- 3 Tbsp spicy chili powder (adjust to your heat preference)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar (sweetness can be adjusted)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder for added aroma
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligodang for glaze
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce for savory depth
- A pinch of black pepper (approx. 0.3 Tbsp)
- 0.5 Tbsp chicken stock (or a tiny bit of MSG/flavor enhancer)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp spicy chili powder (adjust to your heat preference)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar (sweetness can be adjusted)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder for added aroma
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligodang for glaze
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce for savory depth
- A pinch of black pepper (approx. 0.3 Tbsp)
- 0.5 Tbsp chicken stock (or a tiny bit of MSG/flavor enhancer)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s gather all the main ingredients for our tteokbokki. You’ll need tteokbokki rice cakes, flat square fish cakes, fresh cabbage, and plump sausages. While many tteokbokki recipes include ingredients like green onions or onions, I noticed that authentic Yeopddeok doesn’t typically use them. So, following that inspiration, we’ll stick to cabbage as our primary vegetable for this recipe to best replicate the Yeopddeok flavor.
Step 2
The true secret and highlight of this golden recipe for Yeopddeok-style spicy tteokbokki is the sauce! If you don’t have chicken stock, a very small amount of a flavor enhancer like Dashida or MSG can also work to achieve a similar taste profile. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix them thoroughly until well combined, ensuring no clumps remain.
Step 3
Now, add about 3 cups of water to a pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pre-mixed sauce and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, to ensure the sauce dissolves completely into the water. This is where the flavorful base for your tteokbokki is created.
Step 4
As the sauce dissolves and the aroma starts to fill your kitchen, it’s time to add the cabbage. Adding the cabbage first allows it to soften slightly while absorbing the rich flavors of the broth, without becoming mushy.
Step 5
Continue cooking over high heat for about 2-3 minutes, just until the cabbage begins to wilt slightly. We want to retain a bit of its crispness, so avoid overcooking it.
Step 6
Now, it’s time to add the star of the dish: the tteokbokki rice cakes! After adding the rice cakes, keep the heat on high and cook for another 3-4 minutes. This crucial step allows the rice cakes to become tender and fully absorb the delicious spicy sauce.
Step 7
Finally, it’s time to add the remaining ingredients: the fish cakes and sausages. These cook relatively quickly, so adding them at the end ensures they retain their best texture.
Step 8
If you’re using frozen fish cakes, make sure to boil them over high heat for an additional 3 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked through. After that, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. This slow simmering allows all the ingredients to meld together beautifully, deepening the flavor.
Step 9
While the tteokbokki is simmering, let’s prepare the cheese topping. Place your cheese in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 1 minute, or until melted and gooey. Pro tip: lightly grease the bottom of the dish with a little cooking oil before adding the cheese. This trick makes it easy to slide the melted cheese right off later!
Step 10
Transfer the perfectly cooked tteokbokki to your serving bowl. Top it off with the freshly melted cheese, and voilà! You’ve just created your own homemade Yeopddeok-style tteokbokki, restaurant-worthy and ready to be devoured. Enjoy every delicious bite!
