How to Make Ddukbokki
An Authentic Recipe

Ddukbokki (also known as tteokbokki) is one of best, famous and authentic Korean street foods. This food is spicy and sweet, the rice cakes give this dish its famous chewy texture.

When you visit South Korea, you will see Ddukbokki being cooked in the streets. Ddukbokki is everywhere from the centre of cities or towns, to outside of school for students or near offices whose workers are looking for a snack.

Ddukbokki is made from Korean rice cakes and dried fish cakes cooked in a spicy gochujang sauce. You can vary the spice levels by adding more water or less gochujang. Rice cakes can be bought from most Asian supermarkets fresh or frozen. 

I have used the following ingredients:

• 500g of rice cake
• 2 slices of dried fishcakes
• 3 sliced spring onions
• 500ml of water

Sauce

• 1+1/2 tablespoon of Gochujang
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

Preparation

In an Asian supermarket, there are several types of rice cakes. The best one’s for Ddukbokki are shaped like the picture below. Disc shaped ones, or rice cakes that are too small can break up and lose their shape when making Ddukbokki.

If your rice cakes are frozen, allow them enough time to defrost and then cut them to about 6 centre metres long.

Fish cakes should be cut into pieces, about 2 centre metres square.

For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Cooking

Begin by boiling of 500ml of water in a saucepan, add the sauce in and stir well.

Reduce to a medium heat and add rice cakes (Ddukbokki) in and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

After about 5 minutes, finish by adding the fish cakes and spring onion and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes.

While you cook, you need to stir constantly to avoid the rice cakes sticking to bottom of pan or saucepan.

Taste the sauce and add more honey and sugar if you need to. Rice cakes should be chewy texture and try not to overcook. (They go very soft and fall apart).

Serve in a dish and sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top.

Ddukbokki is often eaten with Korean sausage (sundae) or a fish cake soup. Its great with a nice cold beer. Enjoy.

Ddukbokki is a typical Korean dish

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