K-FOODRECIPE
Menu
Recipes Saved recipes
Recipes
Street food · Korean home cooking

Royal court soy-sauce rice cakes (gungjung tteokbokki)

Soft Korean rice cakes tossed with thin beef strips, mushrooms and colourful vegetables in a light soy sauce. This gentle, savoury version uses no chilli.

40 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Royal court soy-sauce rice cakes (gungjung tteokbokki)

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Korean cylindrical rice cakes for tteokbokki is unavailable

    Use instead
    Korean oval rice cakes for soup
    Substitute quantity
    ½ of a 600 g packReference quantity: 300 g

    Use plain, unsweetened rice cakes. Thin oval slices soften faster: follow the packet and check after 1 minute of blanching. Do not use sweet dessert rice cakes.

  • Substitute available

    If Thinly sliced beef is unavailable

    Use instead
    Firm tofu
    Substitute quantity
    ½ of a 300 g packReference quantity: 150 g

    Pat dry and cut into thick strips. Pan-fry for 4–5 minutes until lightly golden, then use in place of the beef. Handle gently when combining.

  • Essential

    Slice thinly so it softens quickly.

  • Optional

    Cut into thin matchsticks. Leave out if unavailable.

  • Substitute available

    If Fresh shiitake mushrooms is unavailable

    Use instead
    Button mushrooms
    Substitute quantity
    3 medium mushroomsReference quantity: 40 g

    Slice thinly and cook with the vegetables for the same time.

  • Optional

    Use a sweet pepper, not a hot chilli. Slice thinly, or leave out.

  • Substitute available

    If Unsweetened soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Unsweetened tamari
    Substitute quantity
    2 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 30 ml

    Use the same amount. Soy sauce and tamari vary in saltiness; do not add extra salt before tasting the cooked dish.

  • Essential

    Use a paper cup holding 180 ml when full; 4 level eating spoons also give 60 ml. Blanching water is extra and is discarded.

  • Optional

    Leave out for a less sweet dish. The rice cakes and onion already taste mildly sweet.

  • Essential

    Mince finely for an even flavour.

  • Substitute available

    If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Mild olive oil
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Divide into three small teaspoons: one for the rice cakes, one for vegetables and one for beef.

  • Optional

    Stir in after turning off the heat. Omit if unavailable or avoiding sesame.

  • Optional

    Sprinkle at the end, or leave out.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: If the rice cakes are hard, soak in cool water for 20 minutes; thaw frozen ones as directed on their packet. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Blanch the rice cakes according to the packet, usually 2–4 minutes, until soft through the centre. Drain well and toss with 1 small teaspoon of the cooking oil to prevent sticking. Fresh soft rice cakes may need only a brief blanch.

    If the rice cakes are hard, soak in cool water for 20 minutes; thaw frozen ones as directed on their packet. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Blanch the rice cakes according to the packet, usually 2–4 minutes, until soft through the centre. Drain well and toss with 1 small teaspoon of the cooking oil to prevent sticking. Fresh soft rice cakes may need only a brief blanch.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Mix the 2 level eating spoons of soy sauce, ⅓ paper cup of water, minced garlic and optional sugar in a bowl. Slice the onion, carrot, mushrooms and optional red pepper into thin strips. On a separate board cut the beef across the grain into short, thin strips. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw beef.

    Mix the 2 level eating spoons of soy sauce, ⅓ paper cup of water, minced garlic and optional sugar in a bowl. Slice the onion, carrot, mushrooms and optional red pepper into thin strips. On a separate board cut the beef across the grain into short, thin strips. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw beef.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Heat 1 small teaspoon of the remaining cooking oil in a wide nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the onion, carrot, mushrooms and optional pepper for 2–3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl so they do not overcook.

    Heat 1 small teaspoon of the remaining cooking oil in a wide nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the onion, carrot, mushrooms and optional pepper for 2–3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl so they do not overcook.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Add the last 1 small teaspoon of cooking oil to the pan. Spread the beef in a thin layer and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until cooked, with no raw patches. A food thermometer should read at least 63°C in the meat; cook longer if needed. For the tofu substitute, use the pan-frying time given in the ingredient replacement.

    Add the last 1 small teaspoon of cooking oil to the pan. Spread the beef in a thin layer and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until cooked, with no raw patches. A food thermometer should read at least 63°C in the meat; cook longer if needed. For the tofu substitute, use the pan-frying time given in the ingredient replacement.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Reduce to medium heat. Return the vegetables and add the softened rice cakes and all the prepared sauce. Toss gently for 2–3 minutes until the rice cakes are tender and coated and the sauce lightly clings to them. If the pan becomes dry before the rice cakes soften, add water 1 level eating spoon at a time. This is a lightly glazed dish, not a soup.

    Reduce to medium heat. Return the vegetables and add the softened rice cakes and all the prepared sauce. Toss gently for 2–3 minutes until the rice cakes are tender and coated and the sauce lightly clings to them. If the pan becomes dry before the rice cakes soften, add water 1 level eating spoon at a time. This is a lightly glazed dish, not a soup.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Turn off the heat and fold in the optional sesame oil. Let the dish rest for 3 minutes after cooking the beef, then add optional sesame seeds and serve warm. Rice cakes are very chewy: avoid serving whole cylinders to young children. An adult should cut suitable portions into small, thin pieces and supervise eating.

    Turn off the heat and fold in the optional sesame oil. Let the dish rest for 3 minutes after cooking the beef, then add optional sesame seeds and serve warm. Rice cakes are very chewy: avoid serving whole cylinders to young children. An adult should cut suitable portions into small, thin pieces and supervise eating.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Royal court soy-sauce rice cakes (gungjung tteokbokki)
Royal court soy-sauce rice cakes (gungjung tteokbokki)
Helpful tips

Makes two light meals or four small snack portions. Slice vegetables thinly and soften hard rice cakes before stir-frying. Extra soaking or thawing time depends on the packet. The soy sauce supplies salt; add no extra salt until tasting the cooked food. Check labels for wheat, soy and sesame where relevant. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Store at 4°C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C; add a little water to soften chilled rice cakes.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Serve warm while the rice cakes are soft. Offer a fresh cucumber side dish or clear fish-cake soup alongside. Make the tofu swap if you prefer a meat-free version, and check the sauce labels.

Serve it with