These rice cake skewers are an addictive snack that’ll be ready to enjoy in no time! It’s crispy, soft, chewy, salty and sweet… basically all of the best flavors and textures rolled up into one!
Korean street food
Rice cake skewers can be found all over the streets of Seoul. I like to buy these from street vendors when I’m hungry but also in a hurry. It’s a great grab-and-go snack that fills you up and is so tasty! It’s also extremely cheap – one skewer usually costs less than a dollar.
The best thing about this snack is that it’s quick to prepare and uses staple Korean ingredients. I actually prefer to make tteok kochi at home because I can fully customize it to my taste!
Buying rice cakes
I’m very lucky to live in Seoul and have such fresh options of rice cakes right in my neighborhood. You might be able to find freshly made rice cakes at a Korean market, but refrigerated or frozen is the easiest to find. I’ve had great tasting refrigerated rice cakes, by the way! Frozen rice cakes crack easily and are a bit more tough, so choose this as a last resort. If you’re not able to find any rice cakes in stores, then try checking Amazon.
How to prepare
Rice cakes sometimes have small bits of starchy rice dust, so quickly rinse it in cold water to remove (skip if using fresh rice cakes). Next, drain and boil in water for 1 to 2 minutes until soft. Rinse the rice cakes, skewer on wooden bamboo sticks and grill or pan fry on the stove.
Once the rice cakes are nice and crispy, it’s time to prepare the sauce! Using the same pan, remove all of the excess oil and add the sauce ingredients. It’ll start to thicken up and all of the flavors will become more pronounced.
Sauce ingredients:
- soy sauce
- ketchup
- water
- rice syrup
- gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- tbsp sugar
- toasted sesame seeds & scallions
Brush the sauce all over the skewers and cook on low – the rice cakes will soak in the sauce and caramelize. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and scallions – enjoy!
Want more easy Korean recipes?
- corn cheese – this is a staple side dish for Korean BBQ!
- creamy carbonara tteokbokki – the perfect dish to satisfy your comfort food cravings
- kimchi fried rice – this dish is a burst of flavors and it’s ready in no more than 15 minutes!
- cheesy potato pancakes – crispy on the outside, but soft inside with melty cheese
Korean Rice Cake Skewers (Tteok kochi 떡꼬치)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 skewers 1x
Description
These rice cake skewers are an addictive snack that’ll be ready to enjoy in no time! It’s crispy, soft, chewy, salty and sweet… basically all of the best flavors and textures rolled up into one!
Ingredients
- oil
- 24 rice cakes (6 skewers x 4 rice cakes)
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp rice syrup
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
garnish: toasted sesame seeds & scallions
Instructions
- Boil the rice cakes for about 1 to 2 minutes until soft, but try not to overcook to prevent sogginess (skip this step if using fresh rice cakes). Rinse with cold water and drain.
- Skewer the rices cakes on thin wooden sticks. It helps to lay out the rice cakes on a cutting board and positioning the skewer so it’s even on the stick. Let it air dry to prevent oil splatter.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan on medium high. Add the skewers once the oil is hot and cook on both sides, flipping occasionally, until both sides are crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Now it’s time to make the sauce. Remove the excess oil from the pan so only a few drops are left. Add the sauce ingredients and cook on low heat, stirring often. Add the rice cake skewers back to the pan once the sauce starts to thicken up and brush the sauce all over. Let the skewers gently cook and caramelize. Alternatively, cook the sauce until it thickens and use as a dipping sauce. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Cuisine: Korean food
