Brown Butter Tteok-Bokki
Brown butter tteok-bokki is my ultimate comfort food. It includes a few changes from the traditional Korean street food, with the addition of the brown butter giving the rice cakes an extra richness and depth, and it makes this one of the most delicious quick weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 lb bag of frozen tteokbokki tteok you can find these at H-Mart or a Korean grocer
- 12 ounce pack of firm tofu drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp salted butter separated
- 3 small shallots thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 1" knob of ginger finely grated
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups kale shredded
- 2 stalks scallions sliced, for serving
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the rice cakes well. Add them to a large bowl and cover with water. Let them sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Cube the tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel, you can press it for a longer time if you prefer, but for this quick recipe I just do a quick pat dry.
- In a large high-sided sauté pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and put the pan on medium heat. Melt 2 tbsp of butter into the pan and let it foam.
- Sear the tofu in batches, cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges. The butter will begin to brown, leaving brown flecks on the tofu and letting the tofu absorb the flavor like a sponge.
- Set the tofu aside.
- In a large cup, whisk together the garlic, ginger, gochjang, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar and water.
- Turn the heat down on the pan and add the remaining butter. Let it melt into the already brown butter. Add in the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes or until the shallots have softened and butter is lightly golden brown.
- Scoop the rice cakes from the water they are soaking in and put them straight into the sauté pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes to let them get coated in the flecks of brown butter.
- Pour in the gochujang mixture and turn the heat up to medium. Let the pan come to a soft simmer and let the sauce reduce, stirring occasionally. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
- When the sauce becomes thick and glossy, add in the shredded kale and mix to let is wilt into the tteok. Add in the tofu and stir so it gets coated in the sauce. Take the pan off the heat.
- Plate in four bowls and sprinkle with scallions and white sesame seeds. Serve warm!