Tteok-kkochi
떡꼬치·(tteok-kkochi)
After-School Bunsikjib
If you grew up in a Korean-American household, the smell of gochujang and ketchup hitting hot oil is pure time travel. It is the scent of the neighborhood bunsikjib, engineered into a quick weeknight treat to keep you quiet while dinner was cooking. This is street food at its most primal: soft rice cakes, shallow-fried to a blistered crunch, then painted with a sticky, caramelized glaze that perfectly balances savory heat with unapologetic sweetness. No deep-fryers, no explosive rice cakes—just the authentic, messy, immediate gratification of home.
Before you start
Soften the rice cakes before threading.
If your rice cakes are vacuum-sealed or frozen, drop them into boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until pliable, then drain and rinse under cold water.
Dry the rice cakes completely.
Water and hot oil are a dangerous mix; pat the rice cakes aggressively dry with paper towels to prevent them from violently bursting in the pan.
Ingredients
- Korean cylinder rice cakes1 lb
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- ketchup3 tbsp
- corn syrup2 tbsp
- gochujang1 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- garlic1/2 tbsp
- water1 tbsp
- toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
Method
- 01
Thread the softened and perfectly dry rice cakes onto wooden skewers.
Push them tightly together so four or five form a little raft.
- 02
Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
Combine the ketchup, corn syrup, gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and water, setting the bowl right next to the stove.
- 03
Shallow-fry the skewers over medium heat.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet and fry the skewers for about one to two minutes on each side until the surface bubbles into a light, golden crust, then transfer them to a paper towel.
- 04
Simmer the sauce to a glossy lacquer.
Carefully wipe the hot oil from the skillet, drop the heat to medium-low, and pour in the sauce to bubble and reduce for about fifteen seconds before turning off the heat.
- 05
Paint the skewers and serve immediately.
Brush the thickened, sticky sauce generously over both sides of the fried rice cakes, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and eat them while they are hot and relentlessly chewy.
Notes
Skip the skewers for a weeknight shortcut.
Authenticity does not mean unnecessary labor; you can simply pan-fry the loose, dried rice cakes until blistered, pour the sauce directly over them, and toss rapidly off the heat.
Use corn syrup for the right street-food texture.
Do not substitute the corn syrup or oligo syrup; it is the non-negotiable grandmother trick for achieving that glossy, candy-like stickiness without hardening into a rock.
From Cook Korean in America.