One-Pan Tteokbokki with Fish Cake and Jammy Eggs

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chewy cylinder rice cakes simmered in a glossy gochujang-gochugaru sauce built on a quick anchovy-kelp broth (or an easy vegetarian swap). The sauce reduces in the same pan until it clings like lacquer, then folded-over fish cake sheets, scallions and halved jammy eggs go on top. The only real trick is soaking refrigerated rice cakes before they hit the heat so they turn tender instead of chalky.

Ingredients

• 4 cup water
• 1 piece dried kelp (dashima), about 4x5 inches
• 1/2 cup dried anchovies, heads and guts removed (or 4 dried shiitake mushrooms for vegetarian)
• 1/2 yellow onion, quartered

• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup or honey (optional, for extra gloss)
• 3 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 1/2 lb cylinder rice cakes (tteok), fresh or refrigerated
• 6 oz Korean fish cake sheets (eomuk), cut into 1-inch strips
• 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1/4 green cabbage, cut into 1-inch ribbons (about 2 cups)

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 sheet roasted seaweed (gim), torn or scissor-cut into strips (optional)

• 4 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 1 packet instant ramyeon noodles, seasoning discarded

Instructions

1. If your rice cakes are refrigerated, vacuum-sealed at room temperature, or frozen, soak them first: cover with warm tap water and let stand 20 to 30 minutes (thaw frozen cakes in cool water for 30 minutes), until they bend slightly and feel pliable. Drain and separate any that are stuck together. Freshly made, soft rice cakes can go straight into the pan.
2. Make the broth: combine the water, kelp, dried anchovies (or shiitake), and onion in a wide 12-inch skillet or shallow pot. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Pull out the kelp as soon as the water simmers so it doesn't turn slimy, then simmer 5 minutes more. Strain out the solids and return the broth to the pan; you want about 3 cups.
3. While the broth steeps, boil the eggs: lower them into a small pot of already-boiling water and cook exactly 7 minutes at a steady boil for jammy yolks. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, then peel and halve lengthwise. Set aside.
4. Whisk the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, corn syrup, garlic and sesame oil into the warm broth until no lumps of gochujang remain.
5. Add the drained rice cakes and cabbage. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring and turning the rice cakes every couple of minutes so they don't stick, for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Add the fish cake strips and the white parts of the scallions. Continue simmering 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has reduced by about half, turns visibly glossy, and coats a rice cake in a thick, clinging layer. The rice cakes should be chewy-tender all the way through with no chalky center.
7. If using, scatter the mozzarella over one side of the pan, cover, and let it melt off the heat for 2 minutes. If using ramyeon noodles, add them along with the fish cake and 1/2 cup extra broth or water.
8. Kill the heat, stir in the scallion greens, and nestle the halved jammy eggs on top, cut side up. Finish with sesame seeds and torn seaweed and serve straight from the pan while the sauce is still loose enough to spoon.
9. Taste before serving: if it reads flat, add a splash of soy sauce; if it's too sharp, another teaspoon of sugar rounds it out. Sauce thickens as it sits, so loosen with a few tablespoons of the reserved broth if needed.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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