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Street food · Korean home cooking

Easy rabokki: rice cakes and ramyeon

Chewy Korean rice cakes and instant noodles simmered together in a sweet-spicy red sauce. Cook the rice cakes first so the noodles do not become mushy while waiting.

30 min2 servings6 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Easy rabokki: rice cakes and ramyeon

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.

  • Essential

    Use Korean cylindrical rice cakes, not puffed crisp rice snacks. Separate them and soften hard refrigerated ones before cooking.

  • Substitute available

    If Plain instant noodle block is unavailable

    Use instead
    Plain quick-cooking wheat noodles
    Substitute quantity
    1 small bundleReference quantity: 90 g

    Use noodles that cook in 3–4 minutes and follow their packet. Do not add an instant noodle seasoning packet to this sauce.

  • Essential

    Start with this amount and add hot water a spoon at a time if it thickens before the noodles soften.

  • Essential

    Choose a mild Korean chilli paste if unfamiliar, but the dish will still be spicy.

  • Optional

    Adjust downward or omit; the sauce will taste less sweet.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Tamari
    Substitute quantity
    1 small teaspoonReference quantity: 5 ml

    Use unsweetened tamari. Check the noodle and chilli-paste labels too if avoiding wheat.

  • Optional

    Cut into rectangles and heat thoroughly, or omit for a simpler version. Check fish and wheat labels.

  • Optional

    Boil separately until fully set, cool, peel and halve. Omit if unavailable.

  • Optional

    Slice and add near the end, or omit.

  • Optional

    Leave out to reduce the heat; the gochujang itself still contains chilli.

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: Separate the rice cakes. If hard or refrigerated, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. If using eggs, boil separately for 10–11 minutes from a gentle boil until fully set, cool, peel and halve. Slice fish cake and spring onion if using.

    Separate the rice cakes. If hard or refrigerated, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. If using eggs, boil separately for 10–11 minutes from a gentle boil until fully set, cool, peel and halve. Slice fish cake and spring onion if using.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Put 4 paper cups of water, gochujang, soy sauce, optional sugar and optional chilli flakes in a wide pan. Stir until no large paste lumps remain, then bring to a gentle boil. Do not add a noodle seasoning packet.

    Put 4 paper cups of water, gochujang, soy sauce, optional sugar and optional chilli flakes in a wide pan. Stir until no large paste lumps remain, then bring to a gentle boil. Do not add a noodle seasoning packet.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Add the drained rice cakes and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring along the bottom so they do not stick. They should be nearly soft in the centre before noodles are added. Very firm rice cakes may need longer; check a cooled small bite.

    Add the drained rice cakes and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring along the bottom so they do not stick. They should be nearly soft in the centre before noodles are added. Very firm rice cakes may need longer; check a cooled small bite.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Add the plain instant noodle block and optional fish cake. Simmer for 3–4 minutes or the noodle packet time, gently loosening the strands. Both noodles and rice cakes should be tender. If sauce becomes too thick before that happens, add hot water one spoon at a time.

    Add the plain instant noodle block and optional fish cake. Simmer for 3–4 minutes or the noodle packet time, gently loosening the strands. Both noodles and rice cakes should be tender. If sauce becomes too thick before that happens, add hot water one spoon at a time.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Add the hard-boiled egg halves and spring onion if using. Simmer for 1 minute until everything is hot throughout. Keep enough sauce to coat the noodles and rice cakes rather than cooking the pan dry.

    Add the hard-boiled egg halves and spring onion if using. Simmer for 1 minute until everything is hot throughout. Keep enough sauce to coat the noodles and rice cakes rather than cooking the pan dry.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Divide between two shallow bowls and serve immediately before noodles absorb the sauce. Let a small bite cool first. Cut chewy rice cakes into smaller appropriate pieces for children; reducing extra chilli does not make this a non-spicy dish.

    Divide between two shallow bowls and serve immediately before noodles absorb the sauce. Let a small bite cool first. Cut chewy rice cakes into smaller appropriate pieces for children; reducing extra chilli does not make this a non-spicy dish.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Easy rabokki: rice cakes and ramyeon
Easy rabokki: rice cakes and ramyeon
Helpful tips

Uses only the plain noodle block, not the supplied soup powder or oil sachets. Noodle and rice-cake sizes vary, so follow the doneness checks as well as the times. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat cooked leftovers to 74°C.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Eat promptly while the noodles are tender and the sauce still flows. Keep the extra chilli optional and explain the rice cakes’ chewy texture to first-time eaters.

Serve it with