Jeukseok-Tteokbokki

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Seasoning packet from 1 package Korean instant ramyeon
• 1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)
• 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 1 tablespoon chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water, for the sauce
• 8 ounces cabbage, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 ounces onion, sliced
• 2 large Korean green onions or 6 regular green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• About 1 ounce carrot, cut into strips (optional)
• 4 ounces sweet potato starch noodles, soaked for 40 to 60 minutes and drained
• 12 ounces garaetteok (tube-shaped Korean rice cakes)
• 2 sheets fish cake, about 80 grams, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 sausage, cut into 4 pieces (optional)
• Noodles from 1 package Korean instant ramyeon
• 4 fried mandu (optional)
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 5 cups water, anchovy-kelp stock or vegetable stock
• 4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese (optional)
• 1 bowl cooked rice
• 1 package toasted gim, cut or crushed into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• Sliced danmuji, for serving (optional)

Method

1. Mix the garlic, ramyeon seasoning, gochugaru, gochujang, chunjang, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a bowl to make the sauce.
2. Arrange the cabbage, onion, half the green onion and optional carrot in a wide pan or shallow pot.
3. Add the soaked starch noodles, rice cakes, fish cakes and optional sausage.
4. Spoon the prepared sauce into the pan and place the uncooked ramyeon noodles on top.
5. Add the optional fried mandu and the hard-boiled eggs. Scatter the remaining green onion over the top.
6. Pour 5 cups of water or stock into the pan.
7. Place the pan over high heat and bring it to a boil. This should take approximately 8 minutes.
8. Add the optional cheese and carefully stir the sauce into the cooking liquid.
9. Continue cooking until the rice cakes, noodles and vegetables are tender. Reduce the heat if the broth begins evaporating too quickly.
10. Keep the pan simmering gently at the table or on the hob, serving portions of rice cakes, noodles, fish cakes, vegetables, eggs and broth as they finish cooking.
11. When only a little broth and a few ingredients remain, add the cooked rice and stir-fry it in the pan.
12. Stir in the gim, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Remove from the heat and serve.