What is Tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki (pronounced duck-bo-kee) is one of my absolute favorite Korean dishes. Sometimes you’ll see it spelled ddeokbokki, topokki, or dukboki. But, they are all just different ways of translating the same thing. It’s a popular Korean street food, so it’s common to find vendors on busy street corners in Seoul dishing out this spicy on-the-go snack. It is a beloved Korean dish made up of rice cakes in a spicy sweet chili sauce. Tteokbokki is easy to eat, easy to walk with, and is the perfect bite-size snack to tame your appetite.

What’s in Tteokbokki?

There are lots of variations on this dish, but the one thing they have in common are the rice cakes.

On a street corner, you might just get the rice cakes in chili sauce. At a restaurant, you might get the rice cakes plus a whole lot more: fish cakes, seafood, vermicelli noodles. It’s a little different wherever you get it.

The version that I’m going to make is on the simpler side: just rice cakes and fish cakes in chili broth. Fish cakes give a second texture (more spongy than chewy) and add some umami. 

Rice Cakes

These long cylindrical rice cakes are chewy and soak up lots of flavor.

Tteokbokki rice cakes are usually found in the freezer section, so soak in hot water for 15 minutes before cooking

Fish Cakes

Fish cakes add a second texture and an extra punch of brininess. I buy these frozen in big long sheets. Once they cook and soften, I cut them into smaller 2 x 1 inch strips.

Spongy fish cakes are cut into 2x1inch strips before adding to the sauce

Chili Sauce

The rice and fish cakes are really just a vehicle for the star of the dish: the rich and spicy chili sauce.

It starts with a simple anchovy stock made from dried anchovies, kelp, and fish cakes. Korean red chili paste (gochujang) and chili flakes (gochujagu) are then added to the stock for heat, spice, and depth of flavor.

The anchovy stock made from fish cakes, dried kelp, and dried anchovies add depth and richness to the Tteokbokki. It’s a must!

Fish cakes, kelp, and anchovies are boiled to form the base of the chili sauce

How do you eat Tteokbokki?

Tteokbokki is a great party appetizer and is commonly served at large gatherings because it’s so shareable. It’s served family style, so everyone can just dig in and enjoy a few bites. Nothing tames the spice like an ice cold beer, so make sure to have plenty nearby!

Gochujang and gochugaru add an addicting spicy kick to this dish!

When enjoying Tteokbokki, my utensil of choice is the trusty toothpick: I get one rice cake, one fish cake, and swirl them around in the spicy sauce. After cooling off my palette with an ice cold drink, I dig back in.

I like to add a hard boiled egg, so when all of the rice cakes are gone, there’s an extra something at the end to soak up the remaining spicy sauce. 

Tteokbokki has it all – sugar, salt, and spice all in one bite! No wonder it’s a favorite snack enjoyed by Koreans. It’s addicting, fun to share, and easy to make 😀