Korean Ramen with Tteokbokki

Most commonly referred to as robokki in Korea, this dish combines the chewy texture of tteokbokki, or rice cakes, with the delicious spiciness of your favourite Korean noodles. Served with marinated soft boiled eggs, and topped with fresh green onions and toasted sesame seeds, this is the ultimate ramen noodle feast!

Since the day I first discovered mukbang videos on YouTube, I have been drawn to the flavours and textures of Korean-based cuisine. My daughter used to prepare what she called rice cakes back when she was in high school. I tried them back then and they were good, but not great. I soon discovered that it was the addition of the fish cakes that I didn’t care for. Since then, whenever making a dish like this Korean Ramen with Tteokbokki, I always omit the fish cakes and it’s so delicious!

Before we get to the recipe, let me share a little secret with you that not many people know about. I suffer from major bouts of insomnia. These bouts can last a few days or even a few weeks. Either I cannot fall asleep at all, or if I’m able to get to sleep, I can’t seem to sleep for longer than an hour or two without waking up. Sometimes, I take a sleeping aid, but most times, I rely on something that I stumbled upon a few years ago – ASMR!

I remember being a child and sharing a room with my brother. My twin bed was on one wall and his was on the other. I would spend my allowance money to buy a bag of chips for him. The catch? He had to eat them while I was trying to go to sleep. The sound of the crunching and munching, and the rattling of the chip bag would lull me to sleep.

We stopped sharing a room when we were 12 years old. So, I had to find other means. The hum of a tabletop fan would help, but not totally. Music was too distracting because I would want to sing along. Nothing seemed to work, however, I did notice that the sleepy feeling would happen at other times. If someone was chewing gum, for instance. I loved that sound! The random clicking of a pen would make me drowsy. But, nothing worked as well as the sound a newspaper makes when you turn the page! Oh my God, that is pure heaven!

WHAT IS THIS SLEEP-INDUCING SENSATION?

About five years ago, we were having dinner with a couple of our friends, Gloria and Michael. We were talking about this phenomenon and they told me it was ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response. It is a tingling sensation that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A relatively new term, YouTube has been the main source for my ASMR fix.

Every single night without fail, I will put on my noise-cancelling headphones and listen to my favourite ASMR YouTubers munch on something crunchy. It is music to my ears. My favourites are Korean mukbangers, which is why Korean food has become something I love. One of the most common foods among these mukbangers is tteokbokki, or Korean Rice Cakes. After a bit of research, I was able to determine what it was and how to make it and now I’m going to share it with you too!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this Korean Ramen with Tteokbokki recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Rice Cakes – unlike the crispy round snack cake here in North America, Korean rice cakes are prepared with short-grain rice flour and pressed into cylinders. You can also find them sold as small disks a little larger in diameter than a 25-cent coin. Any Asian market will stock them, most likely in the freezer section, but because of their increasing popularity, you can find them at large grocery chains as well.
• Low Sodium Vegetable Stock – You can use chicken stock if you wish. I used vegetable stock so that the dish remained vegetarian-friendly.
• Gochujang – A spicy paste used in Korean cooking, made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. You can find both of these in many big chain grocery stores and most certainly in Asian markets. Gochugaru and gochujang are both also available on Amazon.
• Gochugaru – This is a coarsely ground Korean chili powder, usually made from sun-dried peppers without the seeds.
• Sugar
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for maximum flavour.
• Soy Sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce, otherwise, the sauce will be too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, use half soy sauce and half water to dilute the salt.
• Store-Bought Ramen Noodles – Use only the noodles and discard the seasoning packets.
• Green Onions – Thinly sliced for garnish and flavour.
• Toasted Sesame Seeds – For garnish.
• Marinated Soft-Boiled Eggs – These are optional, but are very traditionally served with this type of dish. Get the recipe here.

HOW TO PREPARE KOREAN RAMEN WITH TTEOKBOKKI

Add the low-sodium vegetable stock, gochujang, gochugaru, sugar, garlic, and low-sodium soy sauce to a large, deep skillet. Stir to combine and over medium-high heat, bring the the stock to a boil. Next, add the rice cakes and stir well. Lower the heat to medium and cook the rice cakes in the stock for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the ramen noodles. Do not add the flavour packets! Gently push the noodles down into the stock mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through.

Ladle into bowls and top with a halved marinated soft-boiled egg, some toasted sesame seeds, and freshly sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

WHAT IS GOCHUJANG?

Gochujang is one of my new favourite ingredients.  Don’t worry; it’s not too spicy at all and you can totally control how much you’re adding to your recipes.  So, what is gochujang?   It’s basically a savory, sweet, and spicy sauce made from red chilies, soybeans, barley/rice, etc.  It’s spicy and sweet all at the same time.  Oh, and a little goes a long way!

I’m a weakling when it comes to spicy and heat toleration, so if I can handle it, so can you!  Gochujang is also very easy to find.  It’s at every Asian supermarket and even some of the larger national grocers. If you can’t find it, you can substitute by mixing together 1 tablespoon each of chili powder, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon of dried red chili flakes and whisk together.  Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to marry together.

Gochujang cannot be completely replicated in substitute form, but that little recipe will give you a decent substitute without the depth and complexity of the original gochujang flavour.  Trust me, Dear Reader, it will still be delicious!

WHAT IS GOCHUGARU?

Gochugaru is a Korean ingredient and has become almost essential to Korean cuisine. It has a fiery flavour, but at the same time, it has sweetness and complexity. In essence, it is a textured chili powder ranging from mild to hot. The range depends greatly on the type of peppers and the preparation.

Also known as Korean chili flakes, Korean hot pepper flakes, and Korean chili powder, it is likely something you have already tasted before, especially if you have eaten Korean-style kimchi or cucumber salad. I love that it is so vividly and vibrantly red, which comes through in whatever recipe it is added to! 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

If you’re much like me, you can be easily satisfied with just a big bowl of Korean Ramen with Tteokbokki all on its own! But, I’m so used to preparing recipes for Lord Byron’s Kitchen and just eating them standing over the kitchen sink once the photographs are taken! If, however, I were serving this as a meal, I would want to serve it with a few sides. Keep in mind that this dish can feel heavy because of the starch, and in this case, it’s sweet and spicy. So, serve it with something rather plain.

Plain!? I can’t think of another word! What I mean is something with a subtle flavour – like steamed rice! That’s a great option with this dish. Veggies will certainly help to cool the tongue if these noodles are too hot for you. Pickled Radish is the perfect accompaniment! Koreans love pickled radish.