Hot and spicy rice cake

Tteokbokki 떡볶이

When I lived in Korea I learned the secret to making good tteokbokki from a famous place in a market. It was run by an old lady who could always be found stirring her tteokbokki. People were lined up to buy it.

I saw she used dried anchovies in her stock, and that ingredient made a huge difference in the flavor.

I once ran out of dried anchovies and made tteokbokki without it. It didn’t taste at all like what I was expecting. So don’t forget to always make a good stock with dried anchovies when you make this!

Ingredients

1 pound of cylinder shaped rice cake, bought or homemade. (Use a little more if you’re not adding hard boiled eggs and fish cakes)
4 cups of water
7 large size dried anchovies, with heads and intestines removed
6 x 8 inch dried kelp
⅓ cup hot pepper paste
1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
3 green onions, cut into 3 inch long pieces
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled (optional)
½ pound fish cakes (optional)

Directions

Add the water, dried anchovies, and dried kelp to a shallow pot or pan.
Boil for 15 minutes over medium high heat without the lid.
Combine hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl. Remove the anchovies and kelp from the pot and add the rice cake, the mixture in the bowl, the green onion, and the optional fish cakes and hard boiled eggs. The stock will be about 2 ½ cups.
Stir gently with a wooden spoon when it starts to boil. Keep stirring until the rice cake turns soft and the sauce thickens and looks shiny, which should take about 10 -15 minutes. If the rice cake is not soft enough, add more water and continue stirring until soften. When you use freshly made rice cake, it takes shorter time. If you use frozen rice cake, thaw it out and soak in cold water to soften it before cooking.
Remove from the heat and serve hot.

Posted Monday, September 10th, 2007 at 8:56 pm.
Tagged: cylinder shaped rice cake, ddeokbokki recipe, ddukbokki, 떡볶이 조리법, korean food, Korean recipes, korean snack, Korean spicy rice cake, Korean street snack, Maangchi recipes, spicy ricecake, tteokbokki, tteokbokki recipe

749 Comments:

Sio lover Ksa joined 12/16
Posted December 26th, 2016 at 10:52 am | # | Log in to reply.

Its wow thanks to you but why it still taste rice flour

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted December 27th, 2016 at 11:53 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  It looks great to me! Cook it longer if it tastes a little uncooked.
kcm_20 canada joined 12/16
Posted December 9th, 2016 at 10:45 pm | # | Log in to reply.

hi maangi, I love following you on youtube. Your page is awesome. here is my version of Tteokbokki.

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Iamjhec Philippines joined 11/16
Posted November 15th, 2016 at 9:49 am | # | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi! I’ve been craving for tteokbokki for days now and today I finally got the chance to cook! I have made Yangnyeom Chicken for many times already, Kimbap, Jeyuk Bokkeum, Kimchi Bokkeumbap, Galbi, Sundubu Jjigae, Doenjang Jjigae, Kimchi Jjichae, Japchae, Kimchi and many more all from your website and tutorials!! I followed the recipe for this tteokbokki except for the anchovy and the fish cakes, I used odeng instead of fish cake balls and fish cubes to make the stock and added dasima to it. It turned out so good!! Look! Thank you for sharing all of there great recipes Maangchi!!

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- Iamjhec Philippines joined 11/16
  Posted November 15th, 2016 at 9:52 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Here’s one more pic.
  
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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted November 22nd, 2016 at 2:24 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Your tteokbokki looks so delicious and perfect! It sounds like you have been getting into Korean cooking these days! Good luck!
  - Iamjhec Philippines joined 11/16
    Posted November 22nd, 2016 at 6:45 am | # | Log in to reply.
    
    Yes Maangchi! I have been a Korean Food Addict since I became an English Teacher for Koreans here in the Philippines. I’ve been teaching since 2009. I am now a
    유치원 Headteacher for 3 years. Its the best and most rewarding thing ever! Seeing kids learn from you and most of the Korean Parents appreciate our work! Its true when you said in your Gimbap Video that Koreans respect Teachers a lot. And by the way I just ate my favorite snack as Im writing this, Pajeon! Thank you so much for replying to my comment Maangchi!! You rock!!
ApronStrings Texas joined 10/16
Posted October 20th, 2016 at 9:15 am | # | Log in to reply.

I first made this following your recipe a few years ago. Now, every time my sister visits, she asks for me to make tteokbokki. Thank you so much for providing such great recipes!

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted October 20th, 2016 at 10:31 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Tteokbokki made with spicy anchovy broth is irresistible!
florflor singapore joined 10/16
Posted October 9th, 2016 at 12:55 pm | # | Log in to reply.

I know it’s absurd to ask if there is any recipes that does not include rice cakes. I would only want to use the teokbokkie sauce in other dishes. Can u please advise me as my family does not like the texture of rice cakes.
- CynthiaH Wichita joined 1/12
  Posted October 11th, 2016 at 9:38 pm | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Florflor, you can use this sauce with all fish cake and eggs. Why not? Follow the recipe except for adding rice cake. Just a suggestion.
hollyn TN joined 10/16
Posted October 3rd, 2016 at 7:19 pm | # | Log in to reply.

How exactly do I use chicken broth or vegetable stock to make the broth? Substitute the water and anchovies and put the kelp in the stock? How much stock exactly? Thank you!
Azumor Madison, WI joined 8/16
Posted August 5th, 2016 at 8:01 pm | # | Log in to reply.

Hi, bought Gochujang Brown Rice Red Pepper paste by mistake, can I use it instead of the Red Hot Pepper Paste or will it taste different or less spicy ???

Don’t know whats the different between those 2.
Mao Denmark joined 7/16
Posted July 23rd, 2016 at 4:55 pm | # | Log in to reply.

Hello Maangchi! I finally made this recipe,I have been wanting to make it for so long,but no recipe was as good as yours! It looks good and it tasted amazing! The smell is nice too ! :) Thank you a lot !

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted July 25th, 2016 at 12:28 pm | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Your tteokbokki looks so spicy and delicious! You added some ramyeon! Happy cooking!
Savvy Sage USA joined 7/16
Posted July 19th, 2016 at 8:59 pm | # | Log in to reply.

You know what’s so cool about Tteokbokki is a little sweet and spicy.
It’s a perfect mix!! :)
Loidette Manila, Philippines joined 7/16
Posted July 15th, 2016 at 1:15 am | # | Log in to reply.

Made my 1st tteokbokkie today…
I add cabbage and quail egg because I can’t find fish cake in the groceries.
Thanks for the recipe.

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hanna.io usa joined 6/16
Posted June 18th, 2016 at 6:24 pm | # | Log in to reply.

Hi! I really want to make Tteokbokki but I can’t seem to find It anywhere near where I live. I’ve checked in the asian stories aswell. I have ground fresh chili paste which has a different consistency and pepper flakes. I got it because when I asked the man at the asian store I needed to make spicy rice cake he told me to use it. Is it okay for me to use this? and How?

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- hanna.io usa joined 6/16
  Posted June 18th, 2016 at 6:25 pm | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Sorry, i forgot to write, I cant seem to find pepper paste
- lilyoungeun Malaysia joined 11/16
  Posted November 2nd, 2016 at 4:39 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Did you try it with the sambal sauce? I can’t imagine using that for tteokbokki. Curious to know how it turned out if you did. Korean red pepper paste is a pretty common ingredient if you go to an asian store or any aisle with korean products. It shouldn’t be too hard to find…if all else fails, I suppose you can order from online.
  - safa USA joined 11/16
    Posted November 20th, 2016 at 10:04 pm | # | Log in to reply.
    
    Hi! I tried it with sambal sauce and it turned out great! Everyone in my family loved it. It might not be the same consistency and the color isn’t exactly as red and the picture but an orange to red color. I add a few more things to it just to make the consistency thicker. But defiantly is a good substitute for the paste. You should defiantly try it out :)
FloridaYoder Elon, NC joined 6/16
Posted June 16th, 2016 at 10:00 pm | # | Log in to reply.

I have a Korean friend who taught me to make Ddoekbokki with carrots and onions as well as fish cakes and rice cakes. Her recipe also uses soy sauce with the gochujang, but does not use the pepper flakes. Is that common? Most often I’ve seen Ddoekbokki with just the rice cakes and fish cakes.

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted June 18th, 2016 at 9:22 am | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Everybody has a different recipe for tteokbokki. As long as it turns out tasty, it’s good! Your tteokbokki looks very tasty by the way! It’s made with vegetables so that can be one meal!
MummylovesSeth Singapore joined 6/16
Posted June 9th, 2016 at 11:14 am | # | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi
I just tried cooking Tteokbokki but no rice cake as I am eager to try it so I added my own ingredients. I did not add a lot of Chilli paste and it already spicy and I’m loving it. I will try again once I get the rice cake and will add more Chilli..

Just wanna say thanks!
aenjivon ... joined 5/16
Posted May 30th, 2016 at 6:09 pm | # | Log in to reply.

Is it possible to use small anchovies?
- Pim Portland, OR joined 3/17
  Posted March 11th, 2017 at 7:26 pm | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Of course! I have no luck with big anchovies, so I just use the small ones I have. You can just estimate how many you need. I usually do 14-15 small anchovies.
bigbang_kpop California joined 4/16
Posted April 22nd, 2016 at 11:20 pm | # | Log in to reply.

Is fermented hot pepper paste the same as hot pepper paste?!?!?
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08
  Posted April 24th, 2016 at 8:42 pm | # | Log in to reply.
  
  Korean gochujang is called either fermented hot pepper paste or hot pepper paste. Some people call it Korean chili paste, too. https://www.maangchi.com/ingredient/hot-pepper-paste-gochujang

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English name: Hot and spicy rice cake
Korean name: 떡볶이
Romanized: Tteokbokki
Also Romanized as: ddukbokkie, topokki, ddeokbokki, dduk bok ki, dduk bok kie, dduk bok kie, dduk bok kee, dduk bok ki, ddukbokki

Categories: rice cake, snack, spicy
Made with: dried anchovies, dried kelp, eggs, fish cakes, green onion, hot pepper flakes, hot pepper paste, rice cake, sugar, water,