An easy and delicious Korean recipe that can be made in 15 minutes: Gireum Tteokbokki! Korean Rice Cakes that are stir-fried in flavored oil. Simple to make with just a few pantry ingredients and so savory, spicy and chewy! A popular Korean street snack that makes a great side dish or anytime snack at home.
What is Gireum Tteokbokki?
Gireum Tteokbokki is a stir-fried Korean rice cake dish. A popular Korean street food starring chewy rice cakes pan-fried in oil until golden brown and deeply flavorful.
Different from saucy Tteokbokki smothered with a Gochujang-based sauce, Gireum Tteokbokki is a “dry” kind of tteokbokki. The texture and flavor are totally different. Frying the rice cakes in oil creates a texture that’s soft and tender on the inside and chewy and crispy on the outside. YUM!
In Korean, “Gireum” means “oil.” A key component is the hot oil infused with the flavor of Gochukaru (Korean red chili flakes), onion, and soy sauce. As the rice cakes cook in this tempered oil, it produces deep caramelized flavor. The rice cakes absorb all that good flavor while becoming chewy, crispy and slightly sticky.
Note: the cooking process can feel slow but it’s definitely worth it! Total cooking time is fast but requires stirring and constant watching (so it doesn’t burn!).
More Korean rice cake recipes: Cheesy Tteokbokki, Rose Tteokbokki and Carbonara Cream Tteokbokki. Or start with Korean Food for Beginners: 10 Easy Recipes.
Ingredients
- Korean Rice Cakes. Also called Tteok or Dduk. They come in different shapes and sizes. For gluten-free versions, check the ingredient list as some varieties contain wheat or wheat starch. They can be found at Korean markets or Asian grocery stores in the refrigerator aisle.
- Oil. Neutral cooking oil. I like Avocado oil or Grapeseed oil.
- Gochukaru. Korean red pepper flakes.
- Soy Sauce. Adds umami depth.
- Sugar. Adds sweetness.
- Onion. Adds flavor.
- Sesame Oil + Sesame Seeds. Add right before serving. Aromatic garnish.
How to make Stir Fried Korean Rice Cakes
- Soak the Rice Cakes. Add the rice cakes to a medium bowl. Add boiling hot water to cover. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the Rice Cakes. Drain the rice cakes with a sieve. The rice cakes should be soft and pliable.
- Fry the Rice Cakes. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil and the drained rice cakes. Cook, stirring with a silicone spatula, until the rice cakes are completely coated in the oil. Keep cooking until the rice cakes start to stick together, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sauce. Add the sliced onion, soy sauce, gochukaru and sugar. Keep cooking, stirring often, until the rice cakes separate and absorb the flavor of the seasoning. Use the spatula to separate the rice cakes, if necessary. Cook until the color deepens and the edges of the rice cakes get crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Adjust the heat from medium to medium-low to prevent burning, if necessary.
- Garnish. Turn off the heat. Add a drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Stir briefly to combine.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Eat immediately and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Watch carefully. Gireum Tteokbokki can easily burn. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and keep stirring with the spatula to avoid scorching.
- Adjust the heat as you cook. The heat level required ranges from medium to medium low. Feel free to adjust the heat as you cook. The goal should be a rice cakes that are soft on the inside but crispy and chewy on the outside.
- Make sure to cook long enough. Flavor develops as the rice cakes slowly cook in the oil and absorb all the seasonings. Do not rush or the flavor (and texture) won’t be as good!
Variations
- Make it spicier. For a spicier dish, add more Gochukaru. Also, finish with a drizzle of chili oil.
- Make it meaty. Add ground beef or ground pork. Or add thinly sliced beef or thinly sliced pork.
- Make it non-spicy. For a non-spicy version, leave out the Gochukaru and double the amount of sugar.
Serve with
Make it a meal and serve with other popular Korean snacks:
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Sieve. To drain the water.
- Non-Stick Skillet. Tteokbokki can easily burn and stick to pans. A non-stick surface works best.
- Silicone Spatula. The Stir Fried Tteokbokki can get sticky. A silicone spatula works better than a wooden spoon or tongs.
- Electric Tea Kettle. Makes it easier and faster to bring the water to a boil.
FAQ
Leftover Gireum Tteokbokki can be stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in a microwave until hot and pliable. Or stir fry in a non-stick skillet (over medium to medium low heat) until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
This recipe easily burns and scorches. Some tips: 1) watch carefully and don’t walk away from the pan as it cooks. 2) Adjust the heat from medium to medium low to prevent scorching. 3) Stir with a spatula. 4) Do not skimp on the oil. The recipe calls for 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Don’t just spray with cooking oil and think that’s enough! 5) Make sure to soak the rice cakes in boiling hot water first. It will soften the rice cakes so they spend less time in the pan.
More easy stir-fry recipes
- Stir Fried Korean Fish Cake (Eomuk Bokkeum)
- Cheesy Kimchi Fried Rice
- Sichuan Chicken + Leek Stir Fry
- Spicy Korean Pork Stir Fry
Gireum Tteokbokki (Stir Fried Korean Rice Cakes)
Equipment
- Non-stick Skillet
- Silicone Spatula
- fine mesh strainer
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14 ounces, about 2 cups) Korean rice cakes
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Gochukaru
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
Garnish
- 1 drizzle sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Soak the Rice Cakes. Add the rice cakes to a medium bowl. Add boiling hot water to cover. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the Rice Cakes. Drain the rice cakes with a sieve. The rice cakes should be soft and pliable.
- Fry the Rice Cakes. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil and the drained rice cakes. Cook, stirring with a silicone spatula, until the rice cakes are completely coated in the oil. Keep cooking until the rice cakes start to stick together, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sauce. Add the sliced onion, soy sauce, gochukaru and sugar. Keep cooking, stirring often, until the rice cakes separate and absorb the flavor of the seasoning. Use the spatula to separate the rice cakes, if necessary. Cook until the color deepens and the edges of the rice cakes get crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Adjust the heat from medium to medium-low to prevent burning, if necessary.
- Garnish. Turn off the heat. Add a drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Stir briefly to combine.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Eat immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Watch carefully. Gireum Tteokbokki can easily burn. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and keep stirring with the spatula to avoid scorching.
- Adjust the heat as you cook. The heat level required ranges from medium to medium low. Feel free to adjust the heat as you cook. The goal should be a rice cakes that are soft on the inside but crispy and chewy on the outside.
- Make sure to cook long enough. Flavor develops as the rice cakes slowly cook in the oil and absorb all the seasonings. Do not rush or the flavor (and texture) won’t be as good
