The creamy Korean rice cakes I'm obsessed with
A note for your next Trader Joe's run.
Sometimes, incorporating just one new ingredient into your kitchen life can open an entire world of possibilities. Such was the case for me and Korean rice cakes (“tteok”).
I first tasted the magical chewy cylinders in a homey Korean restaurant we used to go to in Syracuse. Their tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes – traditionally a late-night snack) were coated in a bright red chili sauce, laced with scallions and cabbage, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The spicy sauce would prickle the inside of your mouth, prompting you to alternate bites of chewy rice cake with gulps of cold beer in a delicious self-perpetuating cycle.
Frozen rice cakes are readily available in Korean markets, but luckily for those of us without one nearby, they’re now sold at Trader Joe’s. I’ve been using TJ’s version to make this creamy vegan tteokbokki with coconut milk and am obsessed with it. It’s a comforting one-pan meal that’s ready in around 30 minutes…
P.S. No time to read now? Pin the recipe for later.