[Korean Recipes] Crispy Pan Fried Ddeokbokki

I contemplated so many times to learn Korean language so I could order in Korean and hopefully pass off as one, so they’ll serve me those secret speakeasy side dishes.

If you don’t already know, I’m a super-duper big fan of Korean food. Do you know they actually serve different banchan (small side dishes) to Korean customers vs non-Korean customers in Korean restaurants? Tiger thinks I’m Crazy – with a capital C.

When I came across this crispy pan fried ddeokbokki (spicy rice cake) recipe, I was immediately sold. I was so attracted to the color of this dish (like a moth to light), I knew I had to make it. To be honest, I wasn’t too hopeful on the taste. Normally, the ddeokbokki I know is served in a pool of spicy sweet chilli sauce and even though the sauce is slurpingly-good, the rice cake usually left me with little to desire.

But not this version. It is so lip-smackingly tasty I had to stop myself from gobbling down the whole plate before I even took the photos. The rice cakes were crispy and chewy and the sauce coated each of them so well, every bite was extremely flavorful. The ingredients could be easily found in all Korean supermarkets and even some major supermarkets here. Before I salivate all over my keyboard, could anyone tell me the proper way to spell ddeokbokki, please?

Ingredients:
1 packet (500 g) frozen tubular rice cakes
2 cloves garlic – minced
3 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 tbsp red pepper powder
3 tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Vegetable oil for cooking

Optional garnish:
Spring onions
Toasted sesame seeds

Serves 4

The line up.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add in frozen rice cakes. Cook for about 3 mins, until soft.

Drain well and drizzle 2 tbsp vegetable oil and mix well. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add minced garlic and all the seasoning together and mix well. It should be a thick paste. You might need to taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. (Note: If you are making for children, go easy on the red pepper powder)

In a non-stick pan or skillet add in 2 tbsp vegetable oil and bring the heat to high. Add in the rice cakes and stir fry them for 2 mins, separating them from each other. The skin of the rice cakes will crisp up.

Switch to low heat and add in the seasoning sauce. Mix well and cook for about 2 mins until the sauce coats each of the rice cake.

Transfer onto a plate and serve. They taste great at room temperature too!

Garnish with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and you are done!

Crispy Pan Fried Ddeokbokki

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 20 mins

Author: Bear Naked Food
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

1 packet (500 g) frozen tubular rice cakes
2 cloves garlic - minced
3 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 tbsp red pepper powder
3 tbsp corn syrup or rice syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
Vegetable oil for cooking

Optional garnish:

Spring onions
Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and add in frozen rice cakes. Cook for about 3 mins, until soft. Drain well and drizzle 2 tbsp vegetable oil and mix well. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add minced garlic and all the seasoning together and mix well. It should be a thick paste. You might need to taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. (Note: If you are making for children, go easy on the red pepper powder)
In a non-stick pan or skillet add in 2 tbsp vegetable oil and bring the heat to high. Add in the rice cakes and stir fry them for 2 mins, separating them from each other. The skin of the rice cakes will crisp up.
Switch to low heat and add in the seasoning sauce. Mix well and cook for about 2 mins until the sauce coats each of the rice cake.
Transfer onto a plate and serve. They taste great at room temperature too!

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: Bearnakedfood.com. Thanks so much!