eat your bap

It won’t take long for anyone visiting Korea to spot an ajumma stirring a big vat of ddukbboki, or spicy rice cake, on the street somehere. Usually a crowd of young students will crowd her stall, patiently awaiting a plastic bag-covered plate filled with the nation’s favorite street food (eaten with a toothpick, of course!).

There are many variants to the traditional ddukboki, which usually only contains cylindrical rice cakes swimming in the sweet ‘n spicy sauce. The equally popular rabboki  includes the addition of instant ramen noodles and really makes a complete ‘meal,’ if you will!  

I had such a hankering for ddukbboki today, after a week filled with heavier, greasier meats. My version probably won’t win any beauty contests, but it will totally hit the spot for fiery red goodness with just a hint of sweetness. Many people like their ddukbboki on the sweeter side, so try this version first and adapt to your liking. It’s such a quick, delicious snack — just make sure you have enough people to finish it off with you in one sitting, as it isn’t meant to be a leftover-food. Or I guess you can just make a smaller portion. ;)

Oh yeah, these are easier to eat with wooden chopsticks (rather than the slippery Korean stainless ones); I think the cheap, takeout disposable ones are the best because there’s more traction. I’m a dork, I know!  

Dduk Bbbok Ki (makes 2-3 dinner-sized servings)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. rice cakes (they can be any size, but cylindrical is traditional), I used half of my 2 lb. bag
- 2 sheets of odeng, or thin rice cakes, cut into triangle shapes
- 1 c. cut up cabbage
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, chopped 2″ slices

- 2 c. water (up to 1 c. more if you like it soupy –> great to dunk kimbap in!!)
- 8-10 large myulchi, or dried anchovies for stock

- 4 TB gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
- 1 TB sugar or brown sugar
- 1 TB mulyut, or corn syrup (this gives the sauce its structure)
- 1 tsp gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes (mine is super hot, it really depends on the strength of your gochugaru)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions:
1. If your rice cakes are frozen, dunk them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. If they’re fresh, do nothing. Prep your veggies in the meantime, set aside.
2. Get a large skillet and boil the 2 cups of water with the myulchi. After it boils for 8-10 minutes, remove the myulchi and discard.
3. Add the rice cakes and leave in the hot water for a minute or two, before adding the veggies and fish cake.
4. Stir the sauce in the skillet with a wooden spoon and dilute with the water. Keep stirring, making sure rice cakes don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. You should cook for no more than 5 minutes, as the rice and fish cakes can turn mushy on you. Serve hot in a bowl and top with sesame seeds. Make sure you have a lot of cold water on hand!

*D’oh! I just realized I forgot the hardboiled egg, which I LOVE in my ddukboki… if you have time, throw a whole, shelled hardboiled egg in the pot at the end. Enjoy it with the sauce!