Tteokbokki (Spicy Korean Rice Cakes)

If your Tteokbokki rice cakes are dried or refrigerated and stiff, soak them in warm water for 10 min to soften. Fresh, vacuum-packed rice cakes can skip this. Drain well before cooking. Boil the Eggs for 8 min, then cool, peel and set aside.

⚠ Tip: Don't soak longer than ten minutes or the cakes turn mushy — you want chewy, not collapsing.

Bring the 800 ml Water and Anchovy stock packs to a gentle boil, then simmer for 10 min to build a clean, savoury broth. Remove the stock packs and discard.

⚠ Tip: If you can't find anchovy stock packs, use a good chicken or vegetable stock — you'll lose some of the oceanic depth but the dish still works.

In a small bowl, stir together 3 tbsp Gochujang, 2 tbsp Gochugaru, 1½ tbsp Sugar, 1 tbsp Korean soy sauce and 3 cloves minced Garlic into a thick, glossy paste.

⚠ Tip: Gochugaru adds fruity heat and colour; gochujang brings the fermented funk. You need both.

Add the drained rice cakes, the fish cakes and the sauce base to the simmering broth. Stir well, then simmer over medium heat for 10 min–12 min, stirring often so nothing sticks. The sauce will thicken and turn deep red as the rice cakes release their starch.

⚠ Tip: Stir constantly in the last few minutes — the starch makes the sauce catch and burn quickly.

Nestle the peeled boiled eggs into the pan and let them warm through for another 2 min. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and the rice cakes should be tender but still bouncy.

Kill the heat. Scatter over the Spring onions, drizzle with 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil and sprinkle with Toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, straight from the pan, while the sauce is still glossy and the cakes are chewy.

⚠ Tip: Tteokbokki waits for no one — the rice cakes harden as they cool. Eat it hot.