Korean rice cakes - A distinctive taste experience

Tteokbokki (also called Topokki) is one of the most famous street foods in Korea and a popular snack among K-pop and K-drama fans worldwide.

The combination of spicy-sweet sauce and chewy rice cakes makes this dish a unique taste experience.

Tteokbokki regularly appears in K-dramas and movies and is even mentioned in K-pop song lyrics – an integral part of Korean culture!

Rice cake dishes are more than just a snack

For Jiha, tteokbokki is associated with important moments in life: eating with friends at a snack bar after school, not giving up despite the spiciness, and drinking the warm fishcake soup to soothe the mouth.

And then perhaps the most important memory: For her seventh birthday, her mother prepared a special version of soy tteokbokki. Until then, Jiha hadn't particularly liked rice cakes, but from that day on, tteokbokki became a culinary childhood memory.

(Pictures: Tteokbokki as a popular Korean street food)

The history of Korean rice cakes

📜 Joseon Dynasty - The Original Royal Tteokbokki: The origins of tteokbokki date back to the Joseon Dynasty. Unlike today, tteokbokki was not a spicy dish back then, but was prepared with soy sauce, meat, and vegetables. This dish became known as "Gungjung Tteokbokki" (royal tteokbokki) and became a royal delicacy.

🌶️ 1950s - The birth of gochujang tteokbokki: The tteokbokki we know today only became popular in the 1950s. During this time, Ma Bok-rim, a street vendor in Seoul, began cooking tteok (rice cakes) in a sauce made with gochujang (Korean chili paste). Since then, the dish has spread throughout Korea and become an absolute classic of Korean cuisine.

( Image: The famous Ma Bok-rim Tteokbokki Restaurant in Sindang-dong, Seoul )

K-Pop idols who love tteokbokki

Tteokbokki has now become an integral part of Korean pop culture and is thus closely intertwined with the K-pop phenomenon. It embodies a piece of Korean everyday life and attitude to life, which is brought to a global audience through Korean music. The connection ranges from subtle mentions in song lyrics and reality shows to direct marketing collaborations. Tteokbokki are also often found at international K-pop events and fan meetings, where they are often used as a catering option to offer fans an authentic Korean experience.

🎵 Stray Kids – “Tteokbokki Freestyle Rap” 🎤🔥

→ A legendary freestyle rap about tteokbokki – a must-listen for all fans of K-Pop and Korean food!

Different types of tteokbokki

🍲 Classic Tteokbokki variations

• Gungjung Tteokbokki – with soy sauce instead of gochujang, mild and slightly sweet.
• Gochujang Tteokbokki – the most popular version with sweet and spicy chili paste.

🌟 Modern Tteokbokki variants

• Jeukseok Tteokbokki – an “instant” version that is cooked directly at the table.
• Rosé Tteokbokki – creamy version with cream and cheese.
• Korean Jajang Tteokbokki – with black bean sauce for a sweet and spicy flavor.
• Korean Gireum Tteokbokki – rice cakes fried with soy or chili oil.

(Image: Jeukseok Tteokbokki)

Rabokki - The ultimate combination of Tteokbokki & Ramyeon!

Rabokki (라볶이) is a popular Korean street food dish that is a fusion of ramyeon instant noodles and tteokbokki . Think of rabokki as a kind of "spiced up" tteokbokki with the addition of ramen noodles—a true treat for fans of both!

🍜 Why is Rabokki so popular?

1. Combination of chewy rice cakes and soft noodles.
2. Even more intense flavor thanks to the spicy sauce.
3. Perfect with egg, cheese or fish cake!

(Image: Rabokki with Ramyeon and Tteokbokki)

These side dishes go best with Tteokbokki

🍤 Fried snacks : Kimari (fried glass noodle rolls), fried squid and sweet potato sticks – simply dip them in the spicy sauce!

🍜 Ramyeon & Rabokki : Ramyeon noodles in tteokbokki? A match made in heaven!

🍢 Sundae (Korean blood sausage): Sundae is a Korean sausage made from pork intestines, filled with glass noodles, blood, and spices. It tastes especially delicious dipped in tteokbokki sauce!

(Image: Spicy rice cakes with fried side dishes and boiled egg)

🍙 Kimbap & Jumeokbap (Korean rice balls): Rice balls with toasted sesame seeds - perfect for soaking up the tteokbokki sauce.

🧀 Cheese : Melted mozzarella on tteokbokki makes the dish even more delicious.

🥬 Kimchi: The various mild and spicy varieties offer an interesting flavor addition.

🍚 Bokkeumbap (fried rice): After eating the tteokbokki, it is customary to fry rice in the remaining spicy sauce.

(Image: Korean Kimbap)

Tteokbokki Recipe - Fried Rice Cakes in Soy Sauce (Vegan, Not Spicy)

Ingredients for 1 person:
1) 200 g tteok (rice cakes)
2) 2 mushrooms (shiitake or button mushrooms)
3) ½ bell pepper
4) 1 carrot
5) 1 spring onion (optional)
6) Sesame oil
7) Sesame seeds

For the sauce:
1) 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2) 1 tablespoon sugar
3) 1 tablespoon garlic
4) 1 tablespoon sesame oil
5) Pepper

Tteokbokki Recipe - Fried Rice Cakes in Gochujang

Ingredients for 1 person:
1) 200 g tteok (rice cakes)
2) 1 white cabbage leaf (approx. 60 g)
3) 1 spring onion
4) 1 onion
5) 1 boiled egg (optional)
6) cooked instant ramen noodles (optional)

For the sauce:
1) 2 tablespoons gochujang paste (Korean chili paste)
2) 1 tablespoon Korean chili flake powder
3) 2 tablespoons soy sauce
4) 1 tablespoon honey (replace with sugar for a vegan version)
5) 2 tablespoons of sugar