Saucy Tteokbokki with Fish Cakes and Jammy Eggs

⏱ 30 min · Serves 3

Chewy rice cakes and silky fish cake ribbons simmered in a glossy, sweet-spicy gochujang sauce built on a quick anchovy-kelp broth. It's Seoul street food in half an hour, finished with jammy eggs, spring onions and a shower of sesame.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 22.0g protein · 98.0g carbs · 13.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g fresh or vacuum-packed tteok (Korean cylinder rice cakes)
• 200g Korean fish cakes (eomuk), cut into wide strips
• 900ml water
• 6 dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (optional)
• 1 piece dried kelp (dashima), about 10x10cm
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), or to taste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp honey)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. If your rice cakes are hard or refrigerated, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain.
2. Bring the water, anchovies and kelp to a gentle simmer in a wide pan. Remove the kelp after 5 minutes, simmer 5 more minutes, then strain out the anchovies. (Skip and use plain water or veg stock if you prefer.)
3. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 7 minutes, cool under cold water, peel and halve.
4. Whisk the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar and garlic into the hot broth until smooth.
5. Add the rice cakes and sliced onion. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often so nothing sticks, for 8-10 minutes until the cakes are soft and chewy.
6. Add the fish cake strips and the white parts of the spring onions. Cook 3-4 minutes more, stirring, until the sauce reduces to a glossy, coating consistency.
7. Stir in the sesame oil, taste and adjust sugar or chilli. Scatter over the green spring onion, nestle in the halved eggs and finish with sesame seeds. Eat straight from the pan while hot.