Royal Rice Cakes (Gungjung Tteokbokki)

Method6 steps · about 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the separate beef-marinade soy sauce (1 tbsp), mirin, ½ tsp minced garlic, black pepper (¼ tsp) and 1 tsp sesame oil. Toss with the thinly sliced beef and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.

   Uses 100 g rib-eye beef, thinly sliced · 1 tbsp soy sauce for beef marinade · 1 tsp rice wine (mirin) · ½ tsp garlic, minced, for beef marinade · ¼ tsp ground black pepper · 1 tsp sesame oil for beef marinade

2. 2

   Step 2: Separate the rice cakes. Unless they are fresh and soft, soak them in warm water for 10–15 minutes, or parboil in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. Meanwhile remove the mushroom stems and thinly slice the caps, julienne the half onion and all three quarter-peppers, and thinly slice the optional green-onion (1 stalk) garnish.

   Optional rice-cake soak; skip for fresh soft cakes · 15 minUses 300 g Korean rice cakes, separated · Warm soaking water, or boiling water for parboiling, only if rice cakes are not fresh and soft; drained · 100 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced · ½ small onion (50 g), julienned · ¼ red bell pepper (40 g), julienned · ¼ yellow bell pepper (40 g), julienned · ¼ green bell pepper (40 g), julienned · 1 stalk green onion (15 g), thinly sliced, optional

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the separate 1½ tbsp seasoning-sauce soy sauce, brown sugar (1 tsp), ½ tsp sesame oil and ¼ tsp minced garlic until combined.

   Uses 1½ tbsp soy sauce for seasoning sauce · 1 tsp brown sugar · ½ tsp sesame oil for seasoning sauce · ¼ tsp garlic, minced, for seasoning sauce

4. 4

   Step 4: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add some cooking oil and the prepared onion. Stir until the onion is wilted. Add the marinated beef with its marinade and cook briefly, about 30 seconds, until its outside is cooked; it will finish cooking in the next stage.

   Sear beef after the onion has wilted · 1 minUses Some cooking oil, such as rice bran oil · Julienned onion · Marinated beef and its marinade

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the prepared mushrooms, softened rice cakes, all three peppers and the complete seasoning sauce to the seared beef and onion. Stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked, the vegetables are tender and the rice cakes are soft and hot throughout.

   Finish beef, vegetables and rice cakes · 3 minUses Seared beef and wilted onion · Sliced mushrooms, prepared rice cakes and julienned peppers · Complete seasoning sauce

6. 6

   Step 6: Divide the cooked royal rice cakes between two portions. Add the prepared green-onion garnish and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using, then serve hot.

   Uses Fully cooked royal rice cakes · Sliced green onion, only if using · 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, optional