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Street food · Korean home cooking

Soy Sauce Rice Cake Skewers — Mild Tteok Kkochi

A non-spicy rice cake snack with a thin sweet soy glaze. Learn how to soften and dry the rice cakes, brown them gently, and coat them without burning the sugar.

20 min2 servings6 steps
Soy Sauce Rice Cake Skewers — Mild Tteok Kkochi

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 plain rice cakes sold for tteokbokki, not sweet filled cakes. Soft fresh rice cakes need no blanching; firm chilled ones need the brief softening and careful drying described in step 1. Do not deep-fry hard or frozen rice cakes.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Tamari
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Use unsweetened tamari in place of soy sauce. Taste the finished dish before adding more salt. If avoiding wheat, check every packaged ingredient as well.

  • Substitute available

    If Sugar is unavailable

    Use instead
    Maple syrup
    Substitute quantity
    3 small teaspoonsReference quantity: 15 ml

    Mix into the sauce instead of sugar. The flavor is slightly different and the sauce may take an extra 1–2 minutes of gentle bubbling to coat the food; stir and stop before it scorches.

  • Essential

    Use to dissolve the sugar and soften the soy flavor. Water for blanching the rice cakes is extra and is drained.

  • Substitute available

    If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Sunflower oil
    Substitute quantity
    2 small teaspoonsReference quantity: 10 ml

    Use the same amount in the pan. Choose a plain oil suitable for cooking; do not use butter, which browns and burns sooner.

  • Optional

    Skip the garlic in step 2 for a simpler, gentler glaze. The soy sauce and sugar amounts stay the same.

  • Optional

    Omit the finishing aroma in step 5 if unavailable or unsuitable. Do not add extra cooking oil in its place.

  • Optional

    Skip the final garnish if unavailable or unsuitable for you. No nuts or other garnish are necessary.

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 firm, simmer in boiling water for 30–60 seconds until bendable, then drain and cool enough to handle. Pat them thoroughly dry so that water does not splash in the oil. Thaw frozen rice cakes in the refrigerator before softening; follow their packet cooking instructions. Skip blanching when using soft fresh rice cakes.

    Separate the rice cakes. If firm, simmer in boiling water for 30–60 seconds until bendable, then drain and cool enough to handle. Pat them thoroughly dry so that water does not splash in the oil. Thaw frozen rice cakes in the refrigerator before softening; follow their packet cooking instructions. Skip blanching when using soft fresh rice cakes.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Mix 1 level eating spoon soy sauce, 1 level eating spoon sugar, 2 level eating spoons water and the optional ½ small teaspoon minced garlic in a small saucepan. Heat gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. The glaze should still be thin; turn off the heat before it becomes sticky and very salty.

    Mix 1 level eating spoon soy sauce, 1 level eating spoon sugar, 2 level eating spoons water and the optional ½ small teaspoon minced garlic in a small saucepan. Heat gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. The glaze should still be thin; turn off the heat before it becomes sticky and very salty.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Arrange the dry rice cakes on 4 short skewers, piercing through their sides to make flat rows. Use skewers short enough to fit your pan. If unavailable, cook the rice cakes loose in a single layer and serve them with a fork instead.

    Arrange the dry rice cakes on 4 short skewers, piercing through their sides to make flat rows. Use skewers short enough to fit your pan. If unavailable, cook the rice cakes loose in a single layer and serve them with a fork instead.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Heat 2 small teaspoons cooking oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the rice cakes and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, turning carefully with tongs. Look for lightly golden patches rather than a dark crust. Lower the heat if any pieces swell or start to split.

    Heat 2 small teaspoons cooking oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the rice cakes and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, turning carefully with tongs. Look for lightly golden patches rather than a dark crust. Lower the heat if any pieces swell or start to split.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Lift the rice cakes onto a clean plate. Stir the optional 1 small teaspoon sesame oil into the prepared glaze, then brush a thin layer over both sides of each skewer. Use only enough to coat: do not pour all remaining salty sauce over the plate. Leave the glaze off the direct heat so the sugar cannot scorch.

    Lift the rice cakes onto a clean plate. Stir the optional 1 small teaspoon sesame oil into the prepared glaze, then brush a thin layer over both sides of each skewer. Use only enough to coat: do not pour all remaining salty sauce over the plate. Leave the glaze off the direct heat so the sugar cannot scorch.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds and allow the rice cakes to cool briefly. Serve warm while still soft inside. This sauce contains no chili, although the rice cakes remain chewy; remove the sticks before portioning for a child who can safely chew rice cakes.

    Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds and allow the rice cakes to cool briefly. Serve warm while still soft inside. This sauce contains no chili, although the rice cakes remain chewy; remove the sticks before portioning for a child who can safely chew rice cakes.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Soy Sauce Rice Cake Skewers — Mild Tteok Kkochi
Soy Sauce Rice Cake Skewers — Mild Tteok Kkochi
Helpful tips

The mild soy glaze is separate from the red street-food sauce. Ordinary unsweetened soy sauce or tamari works; sweet dark soy sauce changes both sweetness and saltiness. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon of about 15 ml and a small teaspoon of about 5 ml. Household quantities are approximate; use the same cup and spoons throughout. Packet fractions refer to the labeled packet size, not to an unknown bag. Wooden skewers are optional equipment: choose short ones that fit flat in your pan, or cook the pieces loose and coat them in the sauce. Remove skewers before giving a portion to a child. Rice cakes are very chewy; they are not appropriate for babies or children who cannot chew them safely. Serve immediately for the best texture. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C. Keep at 4°C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat cooked leftovers until hot throughout, reaching 74°C if measured.