Tteokbokki is the most popular Korean street-food. In Korea they have it when they are particularly stressed  it is said they help in releasing all bad energy: true? Dunno, I just think they are crazy good.

Soft rice cakes, cooked in a spicy and hot chili pepper sauce. Many other ingredients are paired: hard-boiled eggs, fish cakes, even sausages and melted cheese. The recipe that follow is very basic and I opted for the eggs version (cause this is the best in my opinion and the simplest on top).

Careful: you will need got-jang (easily found in international grocery stores and even on amazon). Rice cakes can be found deep-frozen in international grocery stores, but i decided to push boundaries further and I made them home: they are a piece of G-O-O-D-N-E-S-S!!!

Serves 4

ready in 20 minutes (with rice cakes ready)

500 grams Tteok (here the recipe)

800 ml water

3 salted anchovies (washed and cleaned)

1 leave of Kombu seaweed (if available)

salt (as needed)

70 grams of gochujang (chilli pepper paste)

1 tbs chilli pepper powder

1 tbs sugar

4 spring onions (in 2 cm wide chunks)

4 hard boiled eggs

In a small bowl mix well the chilli pepper cream, with the chilli pepper powder and the sugar.

Menawhile bring to a boil the water with the anchovies and the kombu seaweed and half tbs of salt. Boil for 7/8 minute. Retain the seaweed and clean the foam with a slotted spoon.

Add the rice cakes, the chilli pepper mixture and bring to a boil. Let simmer – high heat – for 5 minutes.

Add the green onions. SImmer for further 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens enough. Serve.