korean rice cake

Tteokbokki, a spicy stir-fried rice cake dish, is a highly popular Korean street food and a delicious comfort food you can easily make at home. The spicy, slightly sweet, and chewy rice cakes are simply addictive!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tteokbokki - Spicy stir-fried rice cakes

eomuk 어묵 (fish cake)

green cabbage (yangbaechu, 양배추)

scallions

anchovy broth (or water (use 4 cups for more sauce))

Korean red chili pepper paste (gochujang, 고추장) (See Note 2)

Korean red chili pepper

soy sauce

sugar (or use 1 tablespoon if you like it less sweet)

corn syrup (or 1 more tablespoon sugar)

garlic

Make anchovy broth (see note). Soak the rice cakes for about 20 minutes if hardened or refrigerated. Cut the fish cake, cabbage, and scallions into about 2-inch long pieces.

Add the anchovy broth (or water) to a large pan. Stir in the sauce ingredients. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the red chili pepper paste (gochujang).

Add the rice cakes. Boil until the rice cakes become very soft and the sauce is thickened, about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir frequently so the rice cakes don't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetables and fish cakes. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for an additional 4 - 6 minutes. Depending on rice cakes, you may need more time to reach a desired level of softness. Add more broth or water as necessary. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Learn how to make Korean rice cake - garaetteok (cylinder rice cake) from scratch. It is a main ingredient in tteokbokki and tteokguk.

Garaetteok (Rice Cake Recipe)

rice flour (, short or medium grain)

cornstarch

salt

water

water ((for steamer version), boiled)

tsp sesame oil

Rinse 2.5 cups of rice (short grain rice or medium grain rice e.g. sushi rice, 1 cup = 250 ml) until the water drains clear. Put the rice in a medium sized bowl and fill the bowl with some water. Soak it overnight or for 12 hours. 

Strain the water away and air dry the rice for 1 hour.

Grind the rice finely in a powerful food processor until the rice turns into fine powder. (You will have to stop and move around the rice flour with a scraper as it grinds. Otherwise, some rice flour and particles will stick to the wall of the processor and won’t get ground. The whole grinding process will take about 6 mins.

Sift the rice flour into a clean bowl in two or three lots. (It sifts better when you do it in smaller quantities.) Remove any clumps or unground rice grains. When the rice flour is sifted once, sift it one more time. If you ended up with too much unground rice grains, put them back into the food processor and grind them again until you get the fine rice flour. This should result in about 4.5 cups of rice flour.

HOW TO MAKE RICE FLOUR

Combine rice flour, cornstarch, fine salt and 1/4 cups of boiling water in a microwave safe bowl. Mix them well. Add another 1/4 cups of boiling water and mix them again. (The rice cake mixture should be smooth and easy to stir, not hard like cookie dough.)

Cover the bowl with cling wrap, leaving a little gap for steam to escape. Put the bowl into a microwave and heat it up for about 2 minutes (based on 1250W microwave).

Take the bowl out and add 1/4 cups of the remaining boiling water. Cover the bowl again and return the bowl to the microwave and heat it up for a further 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave.

Cover the cutting board with a silicone baking mat or a few layers of cling wrap to prevent rice cake sticking onto it while shaping the rice cake. Carefully remove the rice cake dough from the bowl and place it on the mat.

Put a pair of thick cotton gloves (layer 1) and food safe gloves (layer 2) on top on your hands. (This is because rice cake dough will be very hot to touch.). Knead the rice cake dough. Pound it with a pestle for about 5 mins to give the rice cake a nice elastic texture.

HOW TO MAKE RICE CAKE WITH A MICROWAVE

Combine rice flour, cornstarch, fine salt and 2/3 cups of boiling water in a bowl. Mix them well.

Cover the steamer with baking paper or a clean tea towel and place the rice flour mixture on top. Close the lid and steam it for 20 minutes over high heat. 

Cover the cutting board with a silicone baking mat or a few layers of cling wrap to prevent rice cake sticking onto it while shaping the rice cake. Carefully place the steamed rice cake dough on the mat.

HOW TO MAKE RICE CAKE WITH A STEAMER

Divide the rice cake dough evenly into 5 pieces.

Drop the 1/2 tsp of sesame oil on to your palm and gently rub onto the rice cakes.

Roll the rice cake into 1 – 1.5 cm /0.4 – 0.6 inch diameter cylinder shaped rice cake and cut both ends.

Cut the main part of the rice cake into 6 cm/4 inch long pieces (about little finger size). Now you have the rice cake ready to use in tteokbokki or other stir fry dishes.

PREPARE RICE CAKE FOR TTEOKBOKKI (SPICY RICE CAKE)

Divide the rice cake dough evenly into 2 pieces.

Roll the rice cake into 2 – 3 cm/0.8 – 1.2 inch diameter cylinder shaped rice cakes.

Place the rice cakes on a large plate and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate it for about 1 hour to harden it for easier slicing. However, if you are in a rush, you can still slice the rice cake soon after shaping it.

Slice thinly (about 0.5 cm / 0.2 inch thickness) and diagonally like oval shapes. Now you have the rice cake ready to use in your rice cake soup.

PREPARE RICE CAKE FOR TTEOKGUK (KOREAN RICE CAKE SOUP)

A Korean traditional fruit punch made with watermelon as a main ingredient! Play around with different fruits and drinks, and enjoy refreshing Korean hwachae this summer!

Subak Hwachae (Korean Watermelon Punch)

watermelon, balled

honeydew melon

16 rice cake balls (gyeongdan)- optional

ginger ale

Korean drinking vinegar (or pomegranate or cranberry juice)

pine nuts

glutinous rice powder (aka sweet rice powder)

sugar

Make optional rice cake balls (recipe below). Scoop out watermelon and honeydew with a melon-baller. (Or, cut into about 1-inch cubes.) Place them in a large bowl along with any juice from the fruits.

Add the ginger ale and the drinking vinegar (or pomegranate or cranberry juice) to the fruits. Stir gently. Taste the drink and adjust acidity and/or sweetness by adding more drinking vinegar (or juice and/or sugar).

Mix the rice powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix in the boiling hot water with a spoon. When cool enough to handle, knead by hand until a dough is formed.

Shape the dough into a 3/4-inch thick cylinder. Cut into (or pinch of3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece between the palms to make a small ball.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice cake balls. Cook until all the balls float. Transfer to a large bowl with cold water to cool. Drain.

Optional rice cake balls

This Tteokguk recipe is quick &amp; easy to make yet loaded with flavor, making it the ultimate comfort meal for the new year. This satisfying dish features soft and chewy rice cakes simmered in beef broth, topped with eggs, green onion, and roasted seaweed to give you a burst of umami in every bite. 

Easy Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)

beef brisket

tbsp sesame oil

garlic (minced)

tsp black pepper

vegetable oil

water (anchovy, dashi, or chicken stock

250 g sliced rice cakes (thawed if frozen)

dumplings (fresh or frozen, optional)

seaweed onion

Prepare the rice cakes by rinsing them in cold water 2-3 times. Strain and set aside. This process helps to remove starch and prevents the rice cakes from sticking together.

In a medium bowl, add beef, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper. Mix together to combine and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the beef. Cook for 1-2 minutes until browned, and add water or stock. Skim off any skums, cover, and boil for 15 minutes.

Add rice cakes and optional dumplings, and boil for 3-4 minutes until the rice cakes are tender. Garnish and enjoy!

These chewy, lightly sweet, sesame-filled rice cakes are a star of the Korean mid-autumn festival known as Chuseok.

Songpyeon “Apples”

strawberries

Tbsp. sesame seeds

Tbsp. dark brown sugar

Tbsp. honey

rice flour (preferably Bob’s Red Mill)

Tbsp. sweet rice flour (mochiko)

kosher salt

cocoa powder

Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

spice mill or mortar and pestle; a bamboo steamer

These adorable rice cake “apples” are a festive and creative take on songpyeon, a Korean filled and steamed rice cake that’s commonly eaten during Chuseok, the Korean mid-autumn harvest festival. Songpyeon are traditionally formed in a half-moon shape, but Jennifer Ban of Rice Blossoms fashions her gorgeous songpyeon in the form of different fruits and vegetables, such as apples, peaches, pumpkins, and persimmons. These are filled with a mixture of crushed and whole sesame seeds, honey, and brown sugar, which offers a subtle sweetness when you bite into the rice cake. Set aside a full weekend afternoon for this project, as filling and shaping each apple will take time. This is a great project to do with kids, since the rice cake dough is similar in texture to play dough. Songpyeon are best the day they’re made.

Bon Appétit

Finely grind ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries in spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Measure out 2 tsp. strawberry powder and set aside in a small bowl (save the rest for another use).

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread out 6 Tbsp. sesame seeds on a small rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and nutty smelling, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly.

Coarsely grind half of sesame seeds in spice mill or with mortar and pestle; return to bowl. Mix in 3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar and 3 Tbsp. honey until a stiff paste forms. Set sesame filling aside.

Place 1 cup hot water in a measuring glass and keep ready. Whisk together 2 cups rice flour, 2 Tbsp. sweet rice flour (mochiko), and ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl. Mix in 4 Tbsp. hot water with your hands until a crumbly dough forms and no dry flour remains. Gradually mix in more hot water, a few tablespoons at a time, until dough is the consistency of clay (think play dough; you might not need all of the water).

Pinch off a golf-ball-size piece of dough. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder and knead until incorporated. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; set brown dough aside for apple “stems.” Pinch off another golf-ball-size piece of dough. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. matcha and knead until incorporated. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; set dark green dough aside for apple “leaves”.

Divide remaining dough into 3 equal portions. Loosely cover 2 portions with plastic wrap. Sprinkle third portion with remaining ½ tsp. matcha and knead until incorporated; cover with plastic wrap. Sprinkle a second portion of dough with reserved strawberry powder and knead until incorporated; re-cover under plastic wrap.

Divide each portion into 6–8 ping-pong-size balls and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

Have a small bowl of water nearby. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll each piece of dough into a ball and flatten between your palms into a 3"-diameter disk. Spoon ½ tsp. reserved sesame filling into center, then moisten edges with water and fold dough over filling to make a half-moon shape; press gently to seal. Very gently roll dough back into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. (If dough feels like it’s starting to dry out, lightly moisten your fingers as you roll). Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

Working with 1 dough ball at a time, cup each ball in your nondominant hand and make a shallow indentation in the top with the base of a chopstick. Pinch off a very small piece of reserved brown dough and roll into a short, thin “stem”; insert into indentation. Using moistened hands, pinch off a small piece of reserved dark green dough, press to flatten, and, using a butter knife, cut out a small “leaf”; place next to stem and press gently to adhere. Re-cover “apple” with plastic wrap. Repeat for remaining dough balls.

Pour water into a large wok or saucepan to come 3" up sides; bring to a boil. Line bamboo steamer with a round of parchment paper. Place “apples” in steamer and transfer to wok or saucepan. Cover and steam, adjusting heat to maintain a gentle boil, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.

Stir together 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil in a small bowl and lightly brush over songpyeon with a pastry brush or your fingers. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This rustic, subtly sweet Korean rice cake that's popular to eat during the mid-autumn harvest festival known as Chuseok gets its deep roasty-toasty flavor from roasted soybean powder.

Injeolmi

sweet rice flour (mochiko)

Cornstarch (for dusting)

soybean

bamboo steamer; cheesecloth

If you’ve never made rice cakes at home, this recipe from Jennifer Ban of Rice Blossoms for the rustic Korean tteok (rice cake) called injeolmi is a great place to start. Traditionally, this type of rice cake was laborious to prepare, requiring you to soak, steam, then pound sweet rice until all the grains were evenly mashed. These days the convenience and availability of sweet rice flour (also known as mochiko, mochi flour, glutinous rice flour, or chap-ssal in Korean) makes the process a snap. The rice cake itself has just three ingredients: sweet rice flour, a little sugar, and water. This mixture is poured into a lined steamer and steamed until cooked through, resulting in a rice cake that’s delightfully chewy, stretchy, and subtly sweet. Injeolmi’s signature flavor comes from a generous dusting of roasted soybean powder, or gomul. Roasted soybean powder, which you can find at Korean markets or online, adds an almost peanut-buttery flavor and a hint of natural sweetness to these gluten-free treats. Injeolmi are best the day they’re made, but you can store any extras in the freezer and either reheat them briefly in the microwave or thaw at room temperature.

Pour water into a large wok or saucepan to come 3" up sides. Bring to a boil and set bamboo steamer on top. Line steamer with damp cheesecloth; sprinkle with sugar (this helps prevent rice cakes from sticking).

Whisk together 1 cup sweet rice flour (mochiko) and ⅓ cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup room-temperature water and whisk until incorporated and mixture is lump-free. Pour mixture into steamer basket, cover, and steam, adding more water to wok or saucepan if needed, until rice cake is opaque and firm, 40–45 minutes.

Generously sprinkle a work surface with cornstarch. Carefully invert rice cake onto surface and slowly peel away cheesecloth, using a wet spatula to help scrape off dough if needed. Let cool 5–10 minutes.

Evenly sprinkle rice cake with ½ cup roasted soybean powder; pat to adhere. Cut rice cake into 1½" squares with a sharp knife. Working with 1 piece of rice cake, gather all the corners and pinch together to form a teardrop shape, then roll between your palms into balls; repeat with remaining rice cakes. Sprinkle with more roasted soybean powder to coat; pat to adhere. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp. sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Crispy bite-sized chicken and chewy rice cakes are made downright irresistible with a sticky, sweet, garlicky glaze. 

Soy-Garlic Popcorn Chicken and Rice Cakes

cylindrical rice cakes (about 2½" long)

1¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

garlic cloves, 2 finely grated, 8 coarsely chopped

pepper

Tbsp. sugar

apple cider vinegar

potato

Tbsp. vegetable oil,

salted roasted peanuts and chopped cilantro (for serving)

My love of both KFC popcorn chicken and dakgangjeong, a traditional Korean dish of fried chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, and garlicky glaze (and often topped with nuts or sesame seeds), informed this recipe. These days you can find versions of dakgangjeong that combine the chicken with chewy, lightly pan-fried rice cakes. I took that inspo and ran, turning it into a snacky starter served on a skewer or stick for a finger food no one can resist.
This crisp coating on the chicken is due to two details: potato starch (you can sub corn starch) and the double fry. In the first phase of cooking, you will divide up the chicken into two batches, shallow-frying each with enough space to prevent steaming. In the second phase, everyone goes back into the pool (er, the pan) for a quick final fry. This stage takes barely any time and helps to keep the shell on the popcorn chicken crisp for an extended period (if they don’t all get eaten at once!). One recommendation: Plan to make more than you think if you're expecting guests—this dish has a tendency to disappear faster than you can make ’em.

Place 1 cup cylindrical rice cakes (about 2½" long) in a medium bowl; pour in cool water to cover. Let soak 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut rice cakes in half; set aside.

Meanwhile, combine 1¼ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs and/or breasts, cut into 1" pieces, one 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, 1 Tbsp. mirin, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl; season with freshly ground pepper. Mix well; set aside.

Whisk 8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, remaining 1 Tbsp. mirin, and ½ cup water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set dressing aside.

Place 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl; season generously with pepper and whisk to combine. Remove reserved chicken from bowl, letting any marinade drip back into bowl; place in bowl with seasoned potato starch. Gently toss to coat, pressing down into mixture and turning to cover every surface; set aside.

Pour vegetable oil (about 1½ cups) into a medium stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet to come ½" up sides and heat over medium-high until an instant-read thermometer inserted into oil registers 350°. Fry half of chicken in a single layer until golden brown and crisp underneath, 2–3 minutes. Turn over; fry until golden brown and crisp on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a parchment-lined baking sheet; season with salt. Using a slotted spoon, remove any dark bits from oil and return oil to 350°; repeat with remaining chicken. Bring oil back to 350° again, then return all of the chicken to pan. Fry until deep golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer back to rack.

Stir remaining 1 tsp. potato starch or cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until starch is dissolved. Set slurry aside.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Add reserved rice cakes and cook, stirring, until golden brown in spots, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to rack with chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and carefully pour in reserved dressing. Cook, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until sugar is dissolved. Add reserved slurry (give it a quick stir if it has separated); cook, stirring constantly, until dissolved into sauce. Continue to cook sauce, stirring occasionally, until a line drawn through sauce with spatula holds, 30–60 seconds more. Reduce heat to low; add chicken and rice cakes and toss until every piece is coated with some sauce; remove from heat.

Arrange chicken and rice cakes on a large plate; top with chopped salted roasted peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serve with toothpicks or skewers if desired.

Rice cakes are available sliced, marble-shaped, and in batons. Look for them in the refrigerated aisle of Asian grocery stores. There are dried versions, but the refrigerated version is widely available and easier to work with. I like the slices because there’s more surface area for the sauce. You can use any combination of vegetables and seasonings, so feel free to experiment with flavors. Rice cake is also served at Lunar New Year because the Mandarin name nian gao (“sticky cake”) is a homophone for the nian, which means “year,” and gao, which means “tall” or “high.” When you stick those years together, you’re wishing others longevity.

Rice Cake with Mixed Vegetables

rice cake

carrots (⅛ inch thick)

bean sprouts

black bean garlic sauce

sesame oil

Epicurious

In a medium bowl, soak the rice cake in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain all but about ½ cup water. Set aside.

Preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Swirl in the vegetable oil and let heat for a few seconds until it starts to shimmer. Add the greens and stir-fry for about 15 seconds. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and bean sprouts. Stir to combine. Add the rice cake and the reserved water, soy sauce, and black bean garlic sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until well combined and the rice cake slices have softened. Finish with the sesame oil. Serve while hot.

Korean Rice Cakes with Honey is basically the simplest dish ever with only three ingredients. In this version, the chewy rice cakes are seared with butter until the outsides are crisp before drizzling them honey.

Korean Rice Cakes with Honey

Korean rice cakes

butter oil

tbsp honey

sesame seeds

If you are using frozen rice cakes, submerge them in warm water for 20-30 minutes or until they soften. If you are using fresh rice cakes, skip this step.

Separate the rice cakes.

Preheat a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add butter until fully melted.

Add rice cakes and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until light brown in color and crispy on the outside.

Serve warm with honey drizzle and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

These are such a quick and easy snack!  Do try it if you enjoy rice cakes :) Thank you for the recipe, I had some that were needing to be used and this is a nice alternative to spicy recipes.

I saw these in a vlog I was watching and wanted to make it! It's so good and I love to eat them for breakfast with some fresh fruit.

Was looking for a dessert tteok recipe! So glad I found this!!!

Super love this recipe. So easy and simple to make. Thanks!

Top 9 korean rice cake recipes from across the web

The most viewed korean rice cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Tteokbokki - Spicy stir-fried rice ...

Garaetteok (Rice Cake Recipe)

Subak Hwachae (Korean Watermelon Pu...

Easy Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Sou...

Songpyeon “Apples”

Injeolmi

Soy-Garlic Popcorn Chicken and Rice...

Rice Cake with Mixed Vegetables

Korean Rice Cakes with Honey

Top 9 korean rice cake recipes from across the web

The most viewed korean rice cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Tteokbokki - Spicy stir-fried rice ...

Garaetteok (Rice Cake Recipe)

Subak Hwachae (Korean Watermelon Pu...

Easy Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Sou...

Songpyeon “Apples”

Injeolmi

Soy-Garlic Popcorn Chicken and Rice...

Rice Cake with Mixed Vegetables

Korean Rice Cakes with Honey

The most viewed korean rice cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine