Tteokbokki is a craveable, spicy noodle dish typically served with soft boiled eggs, fish cakes, kimchi, green onion, or other vegetable variations. This version of the wildly popular Korean street food delight features fresh wheat-based noodles that are perfectly chewy for this application. This umami-rich dish has a slow heat that makes you want to keep eating until the last bite.
Directions – Spicy Wheat Cake Noodle Tteokbokki
1. Make pepper paste by mixing together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, and raw sugar. Set aside.
2. In a medium to large saucepan, pour in dashi and garlic. Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Add the pepper paste to the dashi broth. Mix thoroughly and let cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the Korean fish cakes and Wheat Cake Noodles to the broth and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the noodles have soaked up most of the broth, are tender, and the sauce has thickened. Stir often.
5. Add the soft-boiled egg and cook for an additional 1 minute to heat the egg.
6. Place in a bowl, and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted Korean sesame seeds.
7. Optional, drizzle sesame oil atop noodles.
Directions – Wheat Cake Noodles
1. Dissolve salt into water.
2. Place flour in a large mixing bowl and spread flour evenly across the bottom.
3. Pour saltwater brine evenly over the flour.
4. Using your hands, mix the dough evenly until it all comes together into a ball.
5. Transfer the dough ball to a counter and knead very thoroughly for about 10-15 minutes.
6. Place the dough ball in a covered container and let it rest on the counter at room temperature for about 2 hours.
7. Remove dough from the covered container and place on the counter. Roll it out to about ½” thickness.
8. Cut it into ½” strips. Roll the strips on the counter until they are rounded-out ropes.
9. Let the ropes rest for about 15 minutes.
10. Gently repeat step 8 to loosen up gluten.
11. Cut into 2″ long pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and reserve.
YIELD: 700 g / 24 oz / 2-4 servings (cooked weight)
SHELF LIFE: Use Immediately (or freeze for later use)
Directions – Dashi
1. Break the kombu into about 3″ pieces.
2. Soak the kombu in 6 cups of water for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
3. Transfer water and kombu mixture to a small stock pot and bring to a boil.
4. While you are waiting for the water to boil, place the anchovies in a cheesecloth sachet and add it to the stock.
5. Heat this at a rolling boil for about 10 minutes.
6. Remove the kombu and discard it.
7. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes on low heat.
8. Remove the sachet and strain the dashi through a fine sieve to remove any excess particle.
9. Reserve dashi for use.
YIELD: 326 g / 1 ½ cups
SHELF LIFE: 6 months frozen, 15 days refrigerated