Best for: A chewy, blistered street-food snack straight off the grill.
Tteok kkochi is Korean street food at its simplest: skewers of cylindrical rice cakes grilled until the outsides blister and crisp while the centers stay pillowy, then brushed with a sweet-spicy gochujang glaze. Eat them immediately — rice cakes firm up as they cool.
Grill: Direct medium heat; about 375°F. Equipment: Grill, 8 skewers (soaked if wooden), small bowl, pastry brush.
Ingredients
Soak: 10 minutes. Total: 30 minutes.
- 1 lb garaetteok (cylindrical rice cakes) or tteokbokki rice cakes
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chile paste)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for brushing
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 8 skewers
Directions
Soak the rice cakes in warm water for 10 minutes to soften, then drain and pat dry. Thread 4–5 rice cakes lengthwise onto each skewer.
Stir the gochujang, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil into a glaze.
Heat the grill to about 375°F direct heat and oil the grate.
Grill the skewers for 2–3 minutes per side, brushing lightly with the neutral oil, until the rice cakes are blistered, puffed, and golden at the edges.
Brush all sides with the glaze and grill 1 minute more, turning once, until the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
Finish with the sesame seeds and serve immediately, while the centers are still soft and chewy.
Grilling tip: Dry rice cakes grill up crisp instead of steaming — pat them well after soaking and do not skip the oil.
