Korean Spicy Topokki

Topokki or dukbokki is a popular Korean street food that is made of rice cake sticks, fish cakes and gochujang.  You can spot the street vendors selling this popular snack food all day long.  Because of it's popularity, lots of variation had been created.  Most of it are spicy but there is also a sweet and salty variety that uses oyster sauce as a base.  Some added ramen, cheese, seafood, curry, meat, chicken, etc.

Here, I used the basic recipe that was at the back of the package of the rice cake sticks that I bought.  I liked the chewiness of the rice cakes and I didn't make it too spicy.  You can add 1 Tbsp. of  Korean chili pepper powder to brighten up the color further and make it spicier.  I will be sharing my other variation in a different post later.

~Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of topokki (rice cake sticks), wash in cold water and drain.
• 2 pieces of fish cakes, slice into rectangle pieces
• 1/2 carrot, cut
• 300ml anchovy stock
• 2 Tbsp. gochujang (hot pepper paste)
• 1 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. cane sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. mirin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:  Chopped scallion and toasted sesame seeds.

Method:

1.  To make the anchovy stock:  300ml hot water + 1 tsp. anchovy granules.  If you don't have the anchovy granules, boil 1/4 cup of dried anchovies in 300ml water for 10 minutes.

2.  In a flying pan, add in the anchovy stock, gochujang and sugar and let it boil.  When boiling, add in the rice cake sticks and carrot.  Turn the heat to low and let it simmer, stir occasionally for 5 minutes.

3.  Add in the rice cakes, ketchup and mirin.  Keep stirring until the rice cake is cooked through or soft.  Taste one to check for doneness.  Season with salt and black pepper.

4.  Serve on a plate and garnish with scallion and sesame seeds.