Gungjung Tteokbokki Recipes

GUNGJUNG TTEOKBOKKI (KOREAN ROYAL COURT RICE CAKES)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, black pepper, 2 tablespoons of the scallions and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer half of the sauce to another small bowl.
• Thinly slice beef crosswise about 1/8-inch-thick, then cut into 2-inch strips. Add beef to one bowl and toss to evenly coat, massaging sauce into beef. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine rice cakes and enough lukewarm water to cover by 1 inch. Soak for 10 minutes. Drain, then return the rice cakes to the bowl. Add the remaining sauce and toss to evenly coat.
• In a large skillet, heat safflower oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes.
• Add beef with its marinade and cook, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes.
• Add the rice cakes, their sauce and 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and rice cakes are tender and nicely glazed, about 8 minutes. Stir in mung bean sprouts and remaining scallions and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide tteokbokki among bowls and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve warm.

CHEESY CABBAGE TTEOKBOKKI

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the eggs carefully and reduce the heat to gently simmer the eggs until soft-boiled, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the eggs, leaving them in their pot, then shake the pot to crack their shells. Cover the cracked eggs with cold water to shock them, then let cool enough to touch. Once they are sufficiently cooled, peel the eggs directly in the water (they should peel easily); set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, gochujang, soy sauce and garlic. Set aside.
• In a large pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, season generously with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the shallots are really brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the gochujang mixture and cook, stirring for a few seconds, just until the sauce loses its raw edge.
• Stir in 1 cup cold tap water and add the tteok, making sure to separate them if stuck together. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook until the sauce thickens and the tteok are heated through but still chewy, 4 to 6 minutes. (Add a minute or two if using frozen rice cakes.)
• To serve, scatter over the cheese, followed by the cabbage - a nice, crunchy blanket of it. Cover to let the cheese melt; the cabbage will steam slightly and lose some of its raw edge. Halve the soft-boiled eggs and arrange them over the crunchy, cheesy cabbage.