Royal Palace TteokBokkI

Main Ingredients:

• 30 sticky rice cakes (2 inch)
• ⅓ cup beef (3 oz)
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
• ⅔ cup onion
• ⅔ cup sweet peppers
• ¼  cup carrot
• 1 hot pepper (optional)

Broth Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp sugar
•  ½ tbsp minced garlic
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped green onion
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp water or shiitake mushroom broth

Steps:

1. Soak two dried shiitake mushrooms in the water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the water and save the broth for later.
   
   
   
2. Remove the stems and slice the mushrooms thinly. You can use a different kind of mushroom instead.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the seasoning, except the sesame seeds: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1½ tbsp sugar, ½ tbsp minced garlic, 1½ tbsp finely chopped green onion, 1 tsp sesame oil, ⅛ tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp water or shiitake mushroom broth. Depending on your taste, adjust the amount of soy sauce and sugar. Mix them all together.
   
   
   
4. Add 2 tbsp of seasoning mixture to the beef and mushrooms, and then mix well. Marinate them while you are preparing the other ingredients.
5. In boiling water, add the frozen sticky rice cakes and cook them for about 2 minutes, until they become soft. If you use fresh or refrigerated sticky rice cakes, reduce the time for cooking. This step is to make the rice cakes become soft, so that they will absorb the flavor better later.
6. Chop ⅔ cup of an onion, ⅔ cup of sweet peppers, ¼ cup of a carrot, and 1 hot pepper (optional) into 2-inch lengths and ¼-inch thin strips.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Once the rice cakes are done cooking, drain the water.
8. In a heated pan, brown the marinated beef and mushrooms on medium.
9. Add the onion and carrot, and then fry for a minute on high.
   
   
   
10. Add the rice cakes, sweet peppers, hot pepper, and the rest of the seasoning mixture. Fry for about 5 more minutes on high until the rice cakes and other vegetables absorb the seasoning flavor.
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Add 2 tbsp of water or mushroom broth. This helps the tteokbokki get the right flavor and texture, without becoming too dry. Shiitake mushrooms have their own strong and unique flavor; so if you don’t like them, use water instead of the mushroom broth.
    
    
    
    
12. When it is done cooking, sprinkle 1 tsp of sesame seeds on top before serving.