What is Tteokbokki? The chewy, spicy, tangy Korean street food staple

If you haven't experienced the joy of tteokbokki (lit. tok·bo·kee), also referred to as topokki, you are in for a treat. On the streets of Korea, this spicy yet sweet dish is a classic. A fiery, sticky classic that represents the ultimate Korean comfort food and banchan (side dish or snack).

What is Tteokbokki?

Remove all comparisons to the rice cakes you know. These could not be more different from those nefarious, cardboard frisbees that have cornered the health food market. Instead, imagine soft, chewy Korean rice cakes dunked in a rich sweet-spicy sauce. Sounds good right?

But that's just the tip of the Korean rice cake mountain because there's an infinite amount of variation and customisation possible with tteokbokki. You can get creamy, carbonara-like tteokbokki, jajangmyeon tteokbokki, curry tteokbokki, rosé tteokbokki - there's one for every type of person.

What are the origins of Tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki can be traced back to the royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. In fact, the first known record of it was found in an 1800s cookbook! But it's speculated that it arrived on Korean plates well before then (before the chilli pepper even graced Korean soil!). Back in those days, it was a soy-based sauce with pine nuts, green onions, and steak - you could probably still find that version somewhere!

Over time, as Korea's love affair with spice blossomed (and as the influence of modern tastes crept in), tteokbokki evolved.

The introduction of gochujang transformed the dish into a spicy powerhouse, a dish that could simultaneously warm you on a cold day and light a fire in your belly. Its rise to fame is as much about its adaptability as it is about its flavour. Today, tteokbokki stands as a symbol of Korean ingenuity - a dish that managed to turn humble Korean rice cakes into a global sensation with just a few key ingredients and a whole lot of heart (and spice).

Where can you find it?

You can find Tteokbokki just about anywhere in Korea. But don't worry, if you haven't planned a flight there anytime soon, then you'll be hard-pressed to find tteokbokki nowhere on a Korean restaurant's menu.

Tteokbokki is such a cultural staple for Korea at this point, you can find it in many restaurants as a side dish, no matter the speciality.

In Korea, it's found in street markets, with a thick sauce that has likely been bubbling for a while so those ingredients really have time to get to know each other. This is the ideal way to eat it - and mirrors my first experience with tteokbokki. We were wandering around the food stalls of Myeongdong, Seoul when we were lured by the scent of gochujang. And we never looked back! Now, whenever I cook tteokbokki, it brings back memories of Korea.

But, you can also find it in convenience stores and supermarkets, often in large ramen-like pots. Just add water and dig in.

What to eat tteokbokki with?

Now, let's talk about pairings! Tteokbokki is not just a standalone superstar; it's a versatile companion to a whole host of other delights including some of the most popular Korean ingredients. Think of it as the rock star of the Korean street food scene, always ready to jam with its band of tasty sidekicks.

• Fish Cakes (Eomuk): Often found swimming alongside the rice cakes, these fish cakes provide some different textures and much-needed protein. Eomuk is nothing like the fish cakes you'd find over here, though. It's a combination of minced fish fillets, mixed with vegetables, seasonings and wheat flour. But it's a lot better than it sounds!
• Boiled Eggs: Hard-boiled or soft-boiled, these eggs are like little edible pillows that mellow out the fiery intensity of the sauce.
• Ramen: For those days when you need a little extra noodly comfort, a bowl of shin ramyun (or other brands of ramen) next to your tteokbokki is the ultimate comfort combo. This is often referred to as Rabokki.
• Vegetables: A sprinkle of green onions, kimchi or a side of stir-fried veggies can add a refreshing crunch to the dish. But let's be honest, we're not eating tteokbokki for the health benefits!
• Cheese: it's not unusual in Korea to find healthy helpings of cheese sprinkled over tteokbokki to enhance the fun!
• Remember, although tteokbokki is a spicy dish, it will vary drastically in the level of spice, depending on the gochugaru (Korean chilli powder) added. You can find all types ranging from quite sweet to Devil's tteokbokki! Needless to say, we haven't been brave enough to try the latter yet!

How to cook Tteokbokki?

Cooking tteokbokki might seem like an impossible undertaking, but it's not as difficult as it looks.

After securing your favourite rice cake brand from the store, you're already halfway there. Make sure you have fish cakes, spring onions, any other vegetables you'd like, soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, and soup stock.

Soak the tteokbokki rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes before stir-frying. This helps them gain some moisture and secure that chewy texture we all love. After this, start boiling the soup, the spices and the soy sauce. When you're happy with the taste of your sauce, you can add the pre-soaked rice cakes for about 5 minutes.

From there, you get to decide what consistency you want your tteokbokki to be. Some people prefer a more soup-like base, others like to leave it to simmer so their tteokbokki sauce is thick. So why not try both and see which you like best?

When you've dished the tteokbokki out, don't forget the spring onions and sesame seeds (or even crispy seaweed) to garnish!

And there you have it - tteokbokki!

Where to Buy Authentic Tteokbokki Ingredients?

Although many supermarket chains are stocking more and more Korean items, you're still unlikely to find everything you need to make tteokbokki at your local Tesco or Sainsburys. Luckily, you can find authentic Korean ingredients all over the UK in Asian or Korean supermarkets - both in-store and online.

Our Topokki rice cakes collection is a good place to start or alternatively you can also find tteokbokki sauce.