Tteok-bokki (Spicy Rice Cakes — Street Food Style)

Ingredients

• 400 g Korean rice cakes (tteok), cylindrical, fresh or frozen
• 200 ml gochujang-based sauce (or prepared Korean rice cake sauce)
• 30 g gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
• 30 ml gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• 60 ml water or dashi stock
• 15 g caster sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 green onion stalks, cut into 2cm pieces
• 10 g fresh ginger, minced
• 100 g Korean fish cake (eomuk), sliced thin
• 100 g cabbage, shredded
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 5 ml sesame oil
• 1 g sea salt
• 5 sesame seeds, white

Method

1. 1
   Combine gochujang, gochugaru, water, caster sugar, garlic, and ginger in small bowl; whisk until smooth sauce forms.
2. 2
   Bring large pot of water to rolling boil; add rice cakes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they float and are chewy-tender; drain and set aside.
3. 3
   Heat sesame oil in wide shallow pan or wok over medium-high heat; add cooked rice cakes and pour gochujang sauce over, tossing constantly for 3 minutes until cakes are evenly coated and sauce thickens.
4. 4
   Add fish cake slices and shredded cabbage, continue tossing for 2 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.
5. 5
   Add green onion pieces, toss for 30 seconds, then season with sea salt.
6. 6
   Transfer to serving plate, arrange hard-boiled egg halves around tteok, scatter sesame seeds on top, and serve immediately while hot and sticky.