Spicy Sweet Gochujang Tteokbokki (Printable Version)

Tender rice cakes in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce with boiled eggs and savory garnishes.

# Components:

→ Rice Cakes & Eggs

01 - 1.1 pounds Korean cylindrical rice cakes (tteok)
02 - 4 large eggs

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
04 - 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon honey or corn syrup
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Broth

10 - 3 cups water
11 - 1 piece dried kelp (kombu), approx. 4 x 4 inches
12 - 8 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional; omit for vegetarian)

→ Vegetables & Garnish

13 - 1 small onion, sliced
14 - 1 green onion, sliced
15 - 1 sheet fish cake, sliced (optional)
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Soak the rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if they are hard or refrigerated.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, dried kelp, and anchovies. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove kelp and anchovies to yield a clear broth.
03 - Place eggs in boiling water and cook for 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer to cold water, peel, and set aside.
04 - Add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey or corn syrup, minced garlic, and toasted sesame oil to the broth. Stir until fully combined.
05 - Add soaked rice cakes, sliced onion, and fish cake if using. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes until sauce thickens and rice cakes are tender and chewy.
06 - Add boiled eggs to the pan and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to warm through.
07 - Sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce coats everything with a spicy-sweet depth that tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, but it's ready in under 40 minutes.
  • Chewy rice cakes and soft-boiled eggs turn a simple bowl into something surprisingly comforting, even when your mouth is on fire.
  • It's endlessly forgiving—dial up the heat, add vegetables, stretch it with noodles, whatever your mood demands.
02 -
  • If your sauce feels too thick before the rice cakes soften, add water a tablespoon at a time—the starches will thicken it further as you cook, and there's no undoing an oversalted, stiff pot.
  • Taste the broth before you commit to spice levels. Not all gochujang brands taste identical, and adjusting heat mid-cook is easier than fixing it at the end.
03 -
  • Make the broth a day ahead and refrigerate it—the flavors deepen overnight, and you'll save time when hunger hits.
  • Keep extra sauce components on hand so you can adjust heat level in real time; spice is personal, and what thrills one person might overwhelm another.
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