Author: Karena Yan ’23
Looking for a way to spice up your meals? Tteokbokki, or spicy stir-fried rice cakes, is a common Korean street food dish that you can recreate at home. Although traditionally made with anchovy stock, this vegan version substitutes vegetable stock that has a deep umami flavor developed using shiitake mushrooms, kelp, radish, onions, and cabbage. The dish requires a few special ingredients, such as rice cakes and gochujang, but they can easily be found at an Asian grocery store. Furthermore, the vegetable stock can be prepared in bulk and used as a substitute for anchovy- or meat-based broths in other Korean dishes—including kimchi and soybean paste stew—to make them plant-based. The kelp used to make the broth can also be stir-fried and served as a side dish. Not only is kelp a good source of protein, it can be sustainably farmed since it requires minimal land and freshwater resources. Give this recipe a try, and hopefully it will inspire you to explore plant-based versions of your favorite international dishes!
Ingredients:
- Vegetable stock (makes 10-11 cups)
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 ounce dried kelp
- 1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 green onions, cut into 2-in. long pieces
- 2 cups green cabbage leaves, sliced
- 4 quarts water
- Tteokbokki
- 1 pound tube-shaped rice cakes (if frozen, thaw and soak in cold water prior to cooking)
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup red pepper paste (gochujang)
- 1 tbsp. hot pepper flakes
- ½ tbsp. sugar
- 3 green onions, cut into 3-in. long pieces
- Vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)
Steps:
Step 1: Prepare the stock by putting all of the vegetable ingredients into a large pot along with 4 quarts of water. Cover and cook over medium high heat for half an hour. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook for another half an hour, until the radish is translucent.
Step 2: Pour the stock through a mesh strainer over a large bowl. The liquid should be clear and light. You can store the stock in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator, and up to 3 months in the freezer. The strained vegetables can also be reused to make stir-fried kelp and radish pancakes instead of going to waste.
Step 3: Pour around 2 ½ cups of the vegetable stock you made in Steps 1 and 2 into a pot. Mix the red pepper paste, pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl and add to the vegetable stock. Add the rice cakes and chopped green onions as well.
Step 4: Cook uncovered over medium high heat. When it begins to boil, stir gently and continue stirring until the rice cakes are soft and the sauce thickens (10-15 minutes). If the rice cakes do not soften, add more water and continue stirring. The flatter the pan, the quicker the sauce will thicken as well.
Step 5: Remove from heat and serve hot. Optionally, you can add vegan mozzarella cheese (e.g. Violife) or make vegan tofu fish cakes to serve alongside the tteokbokki.
Recipe adapted from the Maangchi blog. Image and adaptation credits to Maylin Horchler, a sophomore at Rutgers University.
This series is brought to you by student group, Greening Dining
