Nostalgic Jjajang Rabokki: Using Ryu Soo-young’s Jjajangmyeon Noodle Soup Base
Nostalgic Jjajang Rabokki: Using Ryu Soo-young’s Jjajangmyeon Noodle Soup Base
Easy Jjajang Tteokbokki Made Simple with Instant Noodle Soup Base
Introducing a Jjajang Rabokki recipe that cleverly utilizes the Jjajangmyeon noodle soup base, inspired by Chef Ryu Soo-young from ‘Stars’ Top Recipe At Fun-Staurant’. Recreate the beloved Jjajang Tteokbokki from your school days, reminiscent of the famous Tteokbokki alley in Shindang-dong, right in your own kitchen! This recipe is wonderfully flexible, allowing you to use ingredients you already have on hand, making it a convenient and delicious meal option.
Tteokbokki Ingredients- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 250g rice cakes (tteok) or wheat flour cakes (tteok)
- 150g cabbage, cut into large squares
- 3 sheets of fish cake, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 15g carrot, cut into long strips
- 1 stalk green onion, cut into long pieces
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 packet instant ramen noodles
- 150g Jjolmyeon noodles, separated
- 600ml broth or water
Jjajang Seasoning Ingredients- 1 packet Jjajang ramen soup base
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup (or similar liquid sweetener)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 packet Jjajang ramen soup base
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup (or similar liquid sweetener)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the tteok (rice cakes or wheat cakes) under cold water to remove any excess starch. If using Jjolmyeon noodles, gently separate them so they don’t clump together.
Step 2
Next, prepare your vegetables. Cut the cabbage into large, bite-sized squares. Thinly slice the onion. Cut the green onion and carrot into long strips, similar to how you’d cut them for stir-fry.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine all the Jjajang seasoning ingredients and mix well until thoroughly blended. While some recipes add ingredients directly to the pot, preparing the sauce mixture beforehand makes cooking much smoother.
Step 4
It’s best to have your broth pre-heated before you start cooking. If you don’t have broth, regular water will work just fine. Also, make sure your hard-boiled eggs are ready.
Step 5
In a wide pot or Korean hot pot (jeongol pan), arrange the sliced cabbage around the edges. Neatly place the other prepared vegetables in the center. Add the tteok, separated Jjolmyeon noodles, hard-boiled eggs, and fish cakes. Sprinkle the Jjajang ramen soup base evenly over everything. Finally, pour in the broth or water.
Step 6
Add the pre-mixed Jjajang seasoning sauce and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the pot. Stir gently to distribute the flavors.
Step 7
Now that all the ingredients are in the pot, it’s time to bring it to a boil. Once the mixture starts simmering, add half of the ramen noodle packet. Adding them partway through cooking prevents them from becoming too mushy.
Step 8
Upon tasting, the Jjajang flavor wasn’t as prominent as I had hoped, differing slightly from the visual appeal. Nevertheless, it made for a satisfying Saturday lunch, especially when paired with some fried dumplings! Next time, I plan to try this recipe using actual Jjajang sauce instead of the ramen soup base for a richer, more authentic Jjajang taste.
