How to Make Toppoki

Tteokbokki (or toppoki) is a popular Korean dish made with chewy rice cakes (tteok), savory-sweet and spicy gochujang-based sauce, and often combined with fish cakes, boiled eggs, and vegetables. Here's a simple recipe to make it at home:

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

For the sauce:

Gochujang (Korean red chili paste): 2-3 tablespoons
Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes): 1 tablespoon (optional, for extra heat)
Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
Sugar: 1 tablespoon (or adjust to taste)
Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
Water or broth (anchovy or dashi): 2 cups

Main ingredients:

Rice cakes (tteok): 1 pound (soaked in water if hard)
Fish cakes (eomuk): 1 cup, sliced into bite-size pieces
Vegetables: 1/2 onion, 1 green onion (sliced), optional cabbage or carrots
Boiled eggs: 2 (optional)
Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon (optional)
Sesame seeds: For garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare Ingredients:

Soak rice cakes in warm water for 10-15 minutes if they’re hard.
Slice fish cakes and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

2. Make the Broth:

In a deep pan or pot, add 2 cups of water or broth (anchovy or dashi).
Heat it over medium heat.

3. Prepare the Sauce:

Mix gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and minced garlic in a bowl. Adjust sweetness or spiciness as needed.

4. Cook the Tteokbokki:

Once the broth starts simmering, add the sauce mixture and stir well. Let it dissolve into the broth.
Add the rice cakes and let them simmer for 5-7 minutes until they soften. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

5. Add Other Ingredients:

Add fish cakes, onion, cabbage, or other vegetables. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until everything is well-coated and heated through.
If you’re using boiled eggs, add them now.

6. Finish and Garnish:

Once the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients well, turn off the heat.
Drizzle with sesame oil (optional) and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

7. Serve:

Enjoy hot as a snack, meal, or alongside other Korean dishes.

Tips

For a milder version, reduce the gochujang and omit the gochugaru.
You can add extras like mozzarella cheese, ramen noodles, or sausage for variations.
Use fresh rice cakes if possible for the best texture.

Enjoy your homemade tteokbokki! 🍲