How to Make Korean Tteokbokki | Authentic Step-by-Step Recipe

Tteokbokki (떡볶이 ) is one of South Korea's most iconic street foods. These delicious rice cakes are cooked in a thick, spicy, and slightly sweet sauce. This variation maintains the spicy and comforting essence of traditional tteokbokki, but adds a special OKIDOKI-style twist: a touch of Korean curry that provides a unique, intense, and addictive depth of flavor.

🛒 Ingredients (for 2–3 people)

• 400g tteok (떡) — Korean rice cakes (fresh or frozen)
• 500ml of water or Korean fish stock ( dashima + myeolchi )
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, optional for extra heat)
• 1 tablespoon corn or rice syrup (more authentic than sugar)
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• 1 large spring onion, cut into 5 cm pieces
• Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon Korean curry powder (optional)
• 1 hard-boiled egg (optional)
• 1 handful of fish cake (eomuk) , cut into strips (optional but traditional)
  

🍲 Step by step

1. Prepare the tteok

If you're using frozen tteok, soak it in hot water for 10–15 minutes until it softens. If it's fresh, you can use it straight away.

2. Make the broth base

In a pan or wok, bring 500ml of water to a boil. If you have dashima (kombu) and myeolchi (dried anchovies), boil them for 10 minutes and remove them to make a more authentic broth.

3. Add the seasonings

Add the gochujang, gochugaru (optional), corn or rice syrup, soy sauce, and curry powder. Stir well until you have a thick, deep red sauce.

4. Add the ingredients

Add the tteok, fish cakes, and the white part of the scallion. Cook over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken the sauce.

5. Finish and serve

When the tteok is smooth and the sauce has thickened, add the halved hard-boiled egg (if using) and the green part of the scallions. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds just before serving.

🍜 Want to make rabokki? Add noodles!

If you want to take your tteokbokki to the next level, you can easily transform it into rabokki (라볶이) , an irresistible combination of tteokbokki with instant ramen.

How to do it?

1. Add 1 package of instant Korean ramen (without the soup packet) directly to the pan when the tteok is almost cooked and the sauce begins to thicken.

2. Cook for 2–3 more minutes until the noodles are tender and have absorbed the sauce well.

3. Ready! Enjoy your delicious OKIDOKI-style rabokki.

👩‍🍳 OKIDOKI Tips

• Use corn or rice syrup instead of sugar for an authentic Korean sweetness.

• You can adjust the spice level by using more or less gochugaru and gochujang.

• Korean curry powder is milder than Indian curry powder; avoid substituting very hot varieties.

📦 Where to get the ingredients?

All the authentic Korean ingredients in this recipe are available at OKIDOKI Asian Market : tteok, gochujang, gochugaru, Korean curry, eomuk, dashima, and more.

🥢 What to pair with tteokbokki?

This dish is perfect with fresh kimchi, hard-boiled egg, grated cheese, or even accompanied by mandu (Korean dumplings) and cold soju.

Go ahead and make this OKIDOKI-style Korean curry tteokbokki and surprise your friends and family with an authentic Korean flavor at home!