Chewy Spicy Korean Cakes (Printable)

Rice cakes in spicy-sweet sauce with boiled eggs, capturing traditional Korean street food flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice Cakes & Eggs

01 - 1.1 lb 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 granulated 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 (10x10 cm)
12 - 8 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional for vegetarian: omit)

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Soak the rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes if they are hard or refrigerated to soften.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine water, dried kelp, and anchovies. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove kelp and anchovies, leaving a clear broth.
03 - Boil eggs for 8 to 9 minutes until hard-boiled. Cool in cold water, peel, and set aside.
04 - Add gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, honey, minced garlic, and toasted sesame oil to the broth. Stir thoroughly to dissolve and blend flavors.
05 - Add soaked rice cakes, sliced onion, and optional fish cake to the sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and rice cakes become soft and chewy.
06 - Add boiled eggs to the pan and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to warm through.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Those chewy rice cakes have an almost playful texture that makes you want another bite immediately.
  • The sauce walks that perfect line between spicy and sweet that makes you forget you're eating something incredibly simple.
  • Boiled eggs transform it from snack into something that feels like an actual meal, and everything comes together in under 40 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the rice cakes or they'll cook unevenly—some pieces will be mushy while others stay too firm, and the whole thing falls apart.
  • The sauce will thicken as it simmers, so if you like it brothier, add a splash more water at the end, and if it's too thin, simmer it a bit longer uncovered to concentrate the flavors.
  • Gochujang is fermented and has natural umami, so you don't need to oversalt; taste before adding extra soy sauce or you'll lose the balance that makes this recipe special.
03 -
  • Make the broth first and let it cool slightly before adding the spice paste—it mixes in more evenly and you'll taste the flavors separately rather than everything clumping together.
  • Fish out the kombu and anchovies completely; leaving pieces behind makes the broth taste bitter and muddy instead of clean.
  • If you're feeding people who are spice-shy, set aside their rice cakes before adding the full heat, then spoon in as much sauce as they want—this way everyone eats from the same pot without drama.
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