Rose Tteokbokki

This version of tteokbokki is a lot milder than the traditional tteokbokki.

Rose tteokbokki is also known as Rose Cream Tteokbokki or Rose Carbonara Tteokbokki.

You may have heard of tteokbokki, but have you ever come across rose tteokbokki?

This tteokbokki is rich and creamy and a lovely pale pink and orange color.

This is a lot milder than traditional tteokbokki. This is because of the cream sauce.

So, if you love tteokbokki but are not too fond of the spice, you can try this version.

If you are still a bit cautious about the spice you can always reduce the amount of chili paste and chili powder to taste.

Packed full of flavor!

Rose tteokbokki is so full of flavor and doesn’t even have that many ingredients!

The combination of crispy bacon, sausages, soft and chewy rice cakes, refreshing fish cakes, and spices and cream provides the perfect flavorings to this savory dish.

The use of heavy cream and milk with other hotter ingredients such as Gochujang (Korean chili paste) allows the sauce to have a nice mild taste to it.

If you want to add a little bit extra flavor to your rose tteokbokki, garnish it with some cheese. I like to use grated mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.

You can also garnish with spring (green) onions for even more flavor!

Types of Tteokbokki Rice Cakes (Garaetteok)

Rice cakes (garaetteok) for tteokbokki can come dry, frozen, or fresh. For this recipe I used frozen rice cakes.

This is because I was unable to get them fresh.

I allowed the rice cakes to come to room temperature by submerging them in room temperature water. This allowed them to separate them easier.

You only need to soak the rice cakes long enough that they are able to separate (I found this took about 10 to 15 minutes).

When you cook the rice cakes in the hot sauce they will defrost and soften.

If you are using fresh rice cakes, you do not need to submerge them in water.

However, if you are using dry rice cakes for tteokbokki, you will need to submerge them in water, so they soften.

If you find you are not able to get Korean rice cakes from your local Korean grocery store, you can also make them yourself.

• It only takes 35 minutes to make.
• If you are not too fond of spice but still want to try tteokbokki, this rose tteokbokki provides a milder alternative. You can also adjust the spiciness to your liking.
• This is so easy to make and is a one pan dish!

• Short cut bacon (or sliced ham)
• Fish cakes: chopped into bite size pieces. If you are unable to find fish cakes in sheet form, you can use fish balls. If you are using fish cakes in ball form, cut them into strips.
• Minced garlic (1 garlic clove, roughly minced)
• Dashi (Japanese soup stock) or water
• Milk, at room temperature
• Heavy cream, at room temperature
• Chili powder
• Sugar
• Korean chili paste (gonchujang)
• Mini sausages: I used cocktail Frankfurt sausages, but you can also use mini Vienna sausages. If you are unable to get sausages, you can leave them out.
• Korean Rice cakes (garaetteok): if using frozen submerge in warm water until you are able to separate the cakes.
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

This recipe serves 2. You can easily double the quantities if you want to make more.

Step 1 - Cut bacon into small pieces.

Step 2 - Heat a medium frying pan or saucepan on medium to high heat. Cook bacon pieces until they are starting to become crisp.

Step 3 - Add the chopped fish cakes and minced garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 4 - Add dashi, milk, cream and cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, sugar, and chili paste. Mix well.

Step 5 - Cut slits into the sausages if using and then add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.

Step 6 - Taste the sauce for seasoning. If you want to add more chili powder or paste to make it hotter or would like more salt add some now.

Step 7 - Place the rice cakes gently in the pan and bring the heat on high. Allow the mixture to boil until the rice cakes are soft.

Step 8 - Continue cooking the sauce until it is thickened to your liking.

Step 9 - Serve plain or with melted cheese (I love using mozzarella). Best served warm.

Tips for Success

• Prepare all your ingredients before starting to make this dish. This will make it easier to make.
• Use low to medium heat when cooking the tteokbokki. If you have your heat too high the rice cakes can burn and overcook.
• Gently stir you rice cakes and sauce when they are cooking. This will help prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Use a non stick frying pan.

Substitutions / Variations

You can substitute non-dairy milk and non-dairy cheese if you would prefer.

If you don’t have bacon you can substitute ham of your choice.

You can add grated cheese on top of the cooked tteokbokki to add a nice flavor. The cheese will also help balance the spice of the dish.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm for the best taste. This recipe serves 2, but the ingredients can easily be doubled or even tripled if required.

Storage

Store cooked and cooled rose tteokbokki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. I found after this time the rice cakes became hard.

You can reheat the tteokbokki on the stovetop or in the microwave. Reheat until the rice cakes become chewy and soft.

FAQ