Tteokbokki
떡볶이
A popular Korean national street food and snack menu item made by simmering chewy garaetteok (cylinder-shaped rice cakes) with square fish cakes and green onions in a gochujang-based spicy and sweet sauce.
Flavor
The addictive Spicy & Sweet flavor is dominant, and it is characterized by the extremely Chewy/Gummy texture of the rice cakes soaked in a thick sauce.
Cooking Tips
If you add plenty of green onions and boil them well, the natural sweetness from the onions will maximize the umami of the tteokbokki sauce.
Substitutes
If you don't have tteokbokki rice cakes, you can substitute them with 'rice paper tteok' made by wetting, rolling, and slicing rice paper. If the spiciness is too much, you can make Gungjung Tteokbokki simmered with soy sauce and sugar instead of gochujang, or Rosé Tteokbokki mixed with cream sauce.
Brands
Mimine, Yopokki, Pulmuone Tteokbokki kits.
Where to buy
Refrigerated/frozen sections of Asian markets, local K-Food snack shops, and Amazon (cup tteokbokki form).
Storage
After cooking, the starch in the rice cakes will harden if placed in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat within 1-2 days (adding a little water or broth). Freezing is not recommended.
Related
Rabokki (Ramen + Tteokbokki), Rosé Tteokbokki, Jjajang Tteokbokki.
FAQ
Q. Should I choose rice cakes (Rice cake) or wheat cakes (Wheat cake)?
A. Rice cakes have a stronger nutty and chewy texture the more you chew, while wheat cakes absorb the seasoning quickly and stay less hard even when they cool down. Choose according to your preference for texture.