The Ultimate Tteokbokki Recipe: How to Make the Most Delicious Korean Street Food at Home
If you've ever tried Tteokbokki, you know it’s one of those dishes that stays with you long after the meal. The chewy rice cakes soaked in a sweet and spicy sauce are comfort food at its finest. But what if I told you there’s a “golden recipe” to make Tteokbokki that will knock your socks off?
Let’s dive into the perfect tteokbokki recipe, where every bite is packed with flavour and just the right amount of heat!
What You’ll Need
Tteok (Rice Cakes) – The chewy, soft rice cakes are the heart and soul of tteokbokki. You can find them at Asian grocery stores or online. The cylindrical, chewy kind is the classic!
Fish Cakes (Eomuk) – Optional, but highly recommended! They add texture and savoury flavour to the dish.
Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste) – This spicy-sweet paste is the secret to the sauce that makes tteokbokki so irresistible.
Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes) – For that extra heat and smokiness.
Soy Sauce – For depth and saltiness.
Sugar – A bit of sweetness to balance out the spiciness.
Garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds that aromatic punch.
Water – To create the perfect sauce consistency.
How to Make the Best Tteokbokki
Prepare the Rice Cakes: If you’re using dried rice cakes, soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften them up. If they’re fresh, you can skip this step.
Make the Sauce: In a medium-sized pan, add about 2 cups of water. Stir in 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of gochugaru (adjust to your spice preference). Toss in your minced garlic and mix everything until smooth.
Cook the Rice Cakes: Bring the sauce to a simmer. Add your rice cakes and let them cook in the sauce for about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure they don't stick to the pan. You’ll see the sauce thicken up, turning into a glossy, spicy-sweet coating for your rice cakes.
Add the Fish Cakes: After the rice cakes are nice and soft, throw in the fish cakes and let everything cook together for another 5 minutes. If you like your tteokbokki extra saucy, feel free to add more water at this stage to adjust the sauce consistency.
Taste and Adjust: Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. More gochugaru for heat, more sugar for sweetness—it's all up to your personal preference!
Serve and Enjoy: Once everything is cooked through and the sauce is perfectly thick, it’s time to serve! Top with some green onions or sesame seeds for a little extra flavour and texture.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This tteokbokki recipe hits all the right notes: it's sweet, spicy, and savoury, with a perfect balance of flavour. The rice cakes absorb the sauce beautifully, making every bite a comforting and satisfying experience. Plus, it's easy to tweak based on how spicy you want it!
But Wait… If You’re Thinking, “That’s Too Much Effort!”
If all the chopping, stirring, and simmering sounds like too much work, don’t worry! There's an even tastier option that’ll save you time and effort—introducing HANKKi's Hankki Bokki!
It's the perfect one-stop meal for when you're craving that comforting, sweet-and-spicy tteokbokki, without the hassle of cooking from scratch. Just grab a serving, heat it up, and you'll be enjoying the most delicious tteokbokki in no time!
