Korean Stir Fried Non-Spicy Rice Cake (Ddukbokki 떡볶이): On moms

For my Mom and Grandmothers

My parents are up visiting Son and Daughters for a few days.  I say that they are really visiting them because mostly they don't care if I am present.  Of course they want me around to actual discipline and force the hard things on Son and Daughters, but Grandma and Grandpa truly come to enjoy the kids.  And enjoy they do.  Grandpa gets dragged around from supermarket to supermarket in LA, carrying all the necessary bags so that Grandma can bring up the best food possible. Grandma comes up with a car stuffed full of food, (and they have a small car) all with plans of the wonderful things she wants to cook for the grandkids.   (I think secretly she worries that I am not feeding my children properly.)  I actually am not insulted by this and welcome the opportunity for someone else to cook delicious food while I take a back seat...or while I go and run to my room and take a nap.  Parents are a wonderful thing to have around.  When Grandma and Grandpa come into town, my name becomes Joanne and I hear far less the cry of "MOMMY!" which is just a spectacular thing.

But one of my favorite things to do is to learn simple techniques and wisdom behind cooking Korean dishes that my mom holds in her head.  She has been trained by two of the best (her mom and her mother in law) so her wisdom in the kitchen is really amazing.  The food always tastes wonderful and delicious and I know that I have been spoiled by such good Korean cooking from my mom that other Korean food pales in comparison.  I asked my mom to make this rice cake dish, something she hasn't done for over 20 years, since I was living under the same roof with her before college.

When I asked her to make ddukbokki, she said, "I don't make the spicy kind."  I started laughing because I didn't WANT her to make the spicy kind, I wanted the non-spicy kind. For most people, the Korean rice cake dish is that spicy red dish that burns your tongue off.  According to my mom's history and knowledge of Korean food, THAT rice cake dish (the spicy one) is not the original; this non spicy one is.  As she cooked she kept on muttering how the spicy rice cake version uses "more "inexpensive" ingredients like ramen or fish cakes, while this version is flavored with meat, a much more expensive ingredient.  (I know many have asked...I will be doing a spicy version soon.)

With lots of conversation back and forth, Mom and I put this one together.  She explained to me why the rice cake needed to be parboiled, and did all the heavy cooking while I snapped pictures!  (YAY! - SO MUCH easier than my normal method of snapping pictures one handed while I cook.)  I did all the measurements, making sure there was accuracy and consistency in the dish and voila! Non spicy ddukbokki.  You can vary the ingredients by adding mushrooms or zucchini, but I used the vegetables on hand and this is what we had.  Son and Daughters universally loved the dish and I was happy to taste something I hadn't in over 20 years. Thanks mom!

Korean Stir Fried Rice Cake (Ddukbokki 떡볶이)
Serves 5-6

2 lbs rice cake (떡볶이떡 - long finger style)


Beef and Marinade
1/4 lb sirloin steak, cut into small strips (you can use ground beef if you like, but a nicer quality of meat flavors this dish so much better)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Vegetables
3/4 cup carrots, julienne
3/4 cup onions, cut into strips
4 scallions, cut into two inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (safflower, corn, or canola)


Finishing Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

**Cooking Notes: Rice cake preparation**
If your rice cake is from a package (like mine was), then you'll need to do an extra step of preparation. If your rice cake is FRESH, made the day you are cooking, then you can save yourself a few steps. If your rice cake is from a package, you'll need to first take it out of the package and soak it in cold water. You will also need to parboil the rice cake right before sauteeing it with all of the vegetables and meat in order to get the right texture. Doing these two steps dramatically improves both flavor and texture of your entire dish.

Prepare the meat. Cut the meat into small pieces. Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds and black pepper together. Mix meat and the marinade together and set aside. Allow to marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

Mix together finishing sauce ingredients - soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

If your rice cake needs to be parboiled, then fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add rice cakes and cook for about 2 minutes or until rice cakes are soft and chewy. Cooking times can vary depending on your particular dduk condition so watch. Do NOT over cook. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a heavy frypan or wok, over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, carrots, and onions. (Do not add scallions until the end) Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Add meat and all the juices and cook together until the meat is fully cooked, about 2 minutes. Add parboiled dduk (or fresh dduk) and cook together for about 1 minute. Pour over finishing sauce and scallions and continue to cook until everything is coated evenly and all mixed well together.

 

Serve hot!

Printable recipe

This bite is all mine!