Bacon – replace it with mushrooms. I like to use shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, because they have a stronger umami flavour. Fish cakes – also known as Busan fish cakes, they are shaped like thin sheets and can usually be found frozen. In Hangul it’s written as 부산 어묵 (Busan omuk), and again it’s easily found in Korean grocery stores. Tteokbokki is chewy rice cakes cooked in a red, spicy broth. It’s a popular Korean street food. When I was a student coming home from school it was hard to resist the spicy rice cakes sold by vendors on the street! They would have big vats of tteokbokkie and just keep stirring and stirring. We would stop by and they would give us a small paper cup of spicy rice cakes and the spicy sauce for a very reasonable price that any student could afford.

Rabokki – Add ramen noodles or instant noodles (cooked first so they don’t soak up too much of the sauce). Yet there is no better way to explore a national cuisine than trying something locals enjoy the most. Thus, Tteokbokki is exactly what you should begin your Korean journey with.This recipe uses authentic ingredients for the most accurate flavour! Below you can find detailed ingredients and substitutes, as well as step by step method. So let’s get cooking!

Top with some sliced cheese, then cover and let melt. Garnish and serve immediately. Variations & Ingredient Substitutes As of July 2023, Trader Joe’s actually started selling Sliced Korean Rice Cakes in the freezer section and you can certainly use these (see pic above right) instead. Can I make Tteokbokki with Sliced Rice Cakes (like the one at Trader Joe’s)? This rose tteokbokki recipe is not vegetarian by default, but it can easily be made meat free. Here’s how to substitute the ingredients:

How to Store Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki is chewy soft rice cakes that are made from short grain (sushi) rice, salt and water. Steamed and pounded/kneaded so it becomes nice and chewy. Where TO buy rice cakes for tteokbokki? First and foremost, don’t keep Korean rice cakes at room temperature for too long, since they tend to go bad in 5 hours or so. The main difference between rose tteokbokki and tteokbokki is the sauce. Tteokbokki is much spicier and has a deep red coloured sauce. By contrast, rose tteokbokki has a pink sauce, with a milder spicy flavour. Just keep in mind that eggs and fish cakes are optional ingredients here. You can go without them just fine

Add cream at the end – Adding the cream at the end ensure it doesn’t burn or split. It also helps bring down the temperature of the dish, so you can eat it right away!Egg – Optional, but recommended. Boil the egg separately, then cut in half and add it as garnish before serving. You can use either soft, medium or hard boiled eggs – as per your preference.

Fermentation is also important for the creation of soju – Korea’s national drink. Soju is available in a wide variety of flavours and is ideal for accompanying your food and drinking with friends.Sausages – replace them with tofu. Firm tofu works best, as it holds its shape much better. You can add it during the cooking process and mix it in gently. It can also be fried separately for a crunchier texture. Simply cut into cubes or slices, fry in sesame oil until crispy and add at the end. If you aren’t familiar with this dish, don’t worry. Today you’ll learn about the easiest Korean rice cake recipe and all the tips you might need on the way. Make Kelp broth– soak dried kelp (Dasima) or Kombu in hot water for at least 10 min. Substituting with plain water is OK but won’t be as flavorful. Rose tteokbokki tastes sweet and savoury, with a lovely umami aroma and moderately spicy flavour. It has a much milder flavour than traditional tteokbokki, making it more appealing for those who can’t handle really spicy food.