Gungjung Tteokbokki (Royal Rice Cakes)

Ingredients

• 300 g Tteok (Korean rice cakes) (rinsed briefly)
• 200 g Beef (e.g., top sirloin or prime rib, cut into strips)
• 0.5 Onion (cut into thin strips)
• 1 Carrot (cut into thin strips)
• 1 Green onion (sliced into rings)
• 3 Mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 Garlic cloves (minced or finely chopped)
• 6 tbsp Soy sauce (divided (1 tbsp for Tteok, 5 tbsp for marinade))
• 1 tbsp Syrup (e.g., rice syrup or corn syrup for the rice cakes)
• 1.5 tbsp Sesame oil (divided (0.5 tbsp for Tteok, 1 tbsp for marinade))
• 1 tbsp Sugar (for the meat marinade)
• 1 tbsp Cooking wine (for the meat marinade)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the vegetables (onion, carrot, green onion, mushrooms) into thin strips or slices.

2. 2

   Briefly rinse the Tteok (rice cakes) under running water.

3. 3

   Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the rice cakes for about 2 minutes until they are soft.

4. 4

   Drain the rice cakes and mix them in a bowl with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp syrup, and ½ tbsp sesame oil.

5. 5

   Cut the beef into strips.

6. 6

   Marinate the meat in a separate bowl with 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 5 tbsp soy sauce, and the minced garlic.

7. 7

   Heat some oil in a pan or wok and sauté the green onions until they are aromatic.

8. 8

   Add the marinated meat and the mushrooms to the pan and sear.

9. 9

   Once the meat is lightly browned, add the carrot strips and onions and cook through.

10. 10

    Finally, add the prepared rice cakes to the pan and stir-fry everything together for another 2-3 minutes so the flavors meld.

Notes

The author recommends top sirloin or prime rib for the beef. The rice cakes are mixed with sauce separately before being added to the pan so they absorb the flavor better.

Nutrition per serving

• Main course
• Korean
• Tteokbokki
• Beef
• Non-spicy
• Stir-fry
• Street food