Korean Rice Paper Tteokbokki

This Korean rice paper tteokbokki recipe is lighter and chewier than its rice cake counterpart. Plus, the spicy gochujang sauce is fail-proof!

Jump to:

• What is tteokbokki/ddukbokki?
• Where can I find rice paper?
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Can I add filling or more toppings?
• Storage
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

What is tteokbokki/ddukbokki?

Tteokbokki are Korean stir-fried rice cakes commonly served at street stalls or as a bar snack. This is very different from the popular Shanghainese Chinese stir-fry rice cakes, which uses flat oval rice cakes and lacks a spicy sauce. Spicy Korean rice cakes are great with a beer and best during the cold winter months.

Tteokbokki is traditionally made in a spicy gochujang sauce that thickens up due to the starch in rice cakes. Recently, iterations such as rose tteokbokki (adding heavy cream) and even curry tteokbokki have risen in popularity.

Where can I find rice paper?

Rice paper can be found at any Asian grocery store and is traditionally used in Vietnamese cuisine to make fresh or fried spring rolls. You can typically find them in the noodle aisle. I swear by this Three Ladies Brand rice paper.

The biggest difference when using rice paper instead of traditional rice cakes is the lack of starch in rice paper. The sauce won't thicken as much, but this can be solved with a light flour roux!

Ingredients

• Rice paper: Rice paper is usually sold as circular sheets, but if you can find square-shaped ones, they will make for more evenly rolled rice cakes.
• Chicken stock: I use chicken stock since that's what I always have on hand and I find that it makes the dish more savory. However, you can make a kelp or anchovy stock by boiling dried kelp or anchovy in water beforehand. You can also just use water, adjust the seasonings accordingly.
• Gochujang: Spicy Korean chili paste which makes the base of the rice cake sauce
• Gochugaru: In addition to gochujang, we'll add Korean red chili pepper powder, which will really give this dish a spicy kick. This is a key ingredient in homemade kimchi! Adjust depending on your spice tolerance levels.
• Granulated sugar
• Soy sauce
• Garlic (minced)
• Onion
• Fish cakes: You can find frozen fish cakes in any Asian grocery store. Defrost them beforehand. If I need to do a quick defrost, I pop them in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Cornstarch slurry: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoon of water since there is no starch in the rice paper to naturally thicken the sauce.
• Ramen (optional): Ramen noodles are optional and would actually makes this a ra-bokki. This is a worthwhile addition! I prefer adding Shin ramen.
• Hard-boiled egg, scallions, white sesame seeds as optional, but highly recommended toppings.

Instructions

1. Mix minced garlic, soy sauce, granulated sugar, gochugaru and gochujang in a bowl to make a paste.
2. To prep the rice paper, dip in lukewarm water for 2 seconds and take out. Don't leave the rice paper in any longer or they will become soggy quickly and be extremely hard to work with. Place on a non-stick surface and roll from the bottom to the top as tightly as you can. You might find that the rice paper feels stiff at first, but let it sit for 1 minute and it will become extremely soft.
3. Repeat for each piece of rice paper (or more if you want more rice paper "cakes"!) Use a wet knife and slice each roll into 3-4 pieces, around 2 inches long each.
4. Heat up stock in a large pot or deep pan and add the spicy paste. Bring to a medium boil.
5. Add in onions and let the onion cook down for 30 seconds.
6. Add in fish cakes and rice paper rolls and cook for about 2-3 minutes. To thicken, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoon water and add to the sauce.
7. Add the ramen noodles and let it cook down.
8. Taste the spicy sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking (e.g., sugar for more sweetness or gochugaru for more spiciness). Add more broth or water, if necessary.
9. Finally, add in scallions and let simmer another 20 seconds.
10. Serve in a deep bowl, top with more scallions and sesame seeds. You can also hard-boil an egg, cut it in half, and add it as a topping!

Can I add filling or more toppings?

Yes! I love adding vegan cheese into the rolled rice paper. I usually take Daiya American Cheese slices and cut them into strips. Place the cheese into the middle of the rice paper and roll it in so it creates a gooey, cheesy center when cooked.

Another popular topping these days is to add another slice of cheese on top. The heat of the dish melts the cheese and the dairy helps cut some of the spiciness.

Storage

Due to the nature of the ingredients, this is a recipe best served fresh! However, if you do have some leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place onto a hot pan until sauce starts to bubble.

📖 Recipe