Seafood Cheese Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cake)

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: If rice cakes are hard or refrigerated, soak in water about 20 minutes, then drain. Soft fresh cakes can skip soaking.

   Soak 20 minutes only if hard/refrigerated · 20 minUses 1 pound tteokbokki tteok (떡볶이 떡) · Water to soak hard/refrigerated rice cakes as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Clean the shrimp (6 small) (saving the shells if peeling) and squid (1/2 small), and cut the squid into small pieces. Cut the cabbage and scallions (1) into about 2-inch long pieces.

   Uses 6 small shrimp (save shells if peeling) · 1/2 small squid · 3 ounces green cabbage (yangbaechu, 양배추) · 1 scallion

3. 3

   Step 3: Add 2 cups of water, dashima, and shrimp shells, if available, to a pan. Bring it to a boil, and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Remove the dashima and shrimp shells. Preheat the oven broiler if you want to use it to melt the cheese.

   Uses 1 small dried-kelp piece, about 3-inch square · 2 cups water for kelp/shrimp-shell broth · Optional saved shrimp shells only

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir gochujang (1 tablespoon), gochugaru (1 tablespoons), 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, selected 1 Tbsp corn/oligo syrup OR extra about 2/3 Tbsp sugar, and garlic (2 teaspoons) into the strained broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high, add prepared rice cakes and boil 8–10 minutes until very soft and sauce thickens, stirring frequently.

   Boil rice cakes · 10 minUses Strained kelp/shrimp-shell broth · Prepared drained rice cakes · 1 tablespoon gochujang, 고추장 (Korean red chili pepper paste) · 1 tablespoons gochugaru, 고추가루 (Korean red chili pepper flakes) (adjust to taste - see note) · 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce · 1 tablespoon sugar · 1 tbsp corn syrup OR oligo syrup, OR extra 2/3 tbsp sugar · 2 teaspoons minced garlic

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the cabbage. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 - 4 minutes. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

   Uses Soft rice cakes in spicy sauce · Cut cabbage

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix in the seafood and scallion, and continue to cook, stirring, until the seafood is almost cooked.

   Uses Rice cakes with cooked cabbage · Prepared shrimp meat, squid and scallion

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the half-cup cheese plus optional extra on top. Melt using ONE route: covered stovetop, microwave-safe dish in the microwave, OR broiler-safe dish under the preheated broiler. Before serving, ensure the shrimp is opaque and squid fully cooked as well as cheese melted.

   Uses Seafood rice-cake mixture · 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (or pizza blend) (Use more if desired) · Extra mozzarella/pizza-blend cheese if desired