Crispy Pan-Fried Tteokboki

Tteokboki (떡볶이) is a sweet and spicy traditional Korean food, often served in roadside stalls. The more traditional way is served in a soupy fishy/umami thick broth. While I love traditional tteokboki, that’s not what I make at home. I prefer a crispy pan fried tteokboki, more akin to tteok twigim (떡튀김) which just means fried rice cake. The crispy exterior and chewiness of the rice cakes make for an amazing textural experience while eating. I combine it with a mainly spicy and savory sauce, with a slight touch of sweetness for the perfect snack or side dish. This dish includes mozzarella cheese and bacon bits, but you could easily omit those ingredients to make this a tasty vegan snack.

Inspiration: https://www.bearnakedfood.com/2015/10/16/crispy-pan-fried-ddeokbokki with my own twist on the recipe to make it even more delicious and easier to remember.

Ingredients:

• ~30 tteok (Korean rice cakes)
• 4 Tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2-4 cracks of black pepper
• 1/2 cup bacon bits
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Boil water and let the rice cakes boil for 3-4 minutes or until they float (doesn’t matter if they don’t float, as long as they are squishy all the way through, they are cooked).
2. While the rice cakes are cooking, together all the sauce ingredients.
3. Oil a nonstick pan and fry the rice cakes for about 4 minutes on medium-high heat, or until crispy. At the last minute, put the bacon bits in the pan as well and let everything sauté together.
4. Lower the heat to about medium-low and add the sauce to the rice cakes. Once all the rice cakes are coated, you can take them off the heat and onto a serving plate.
5. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the rice cakes and they are ready to serve.