Ddeok Gangjeong, Crispy and Spicy Rice Cake
떡강정
A popular snack in Korea, ddeok gangjeong is a filling and spicy treat. It’s made with garaeddeok (rice tube cake) that’s sliced down to bite-sized chunks, pan-fried, then dressed with a sticky, tangy sauce. The pan-frying gives the rice cakes a crackly outside with a soft and chewy inside. The sauce is a deliciously sweet and spicy combo that will satisfy any mid-afternoon craving.
Ddeok gangjeong is often topped with chopped peanuts for an added crunch. It's a quick dish that takes less than half an hour and makes a perfect accompaniment for cocktails (anjoo), a simple dinner, or appetizer. For festive hors d'oeuvres, try putting them on skewers. Make sure to serve them warm or right out of the pan; the rice cakes will harden as they cool.
Buy Korean ingredients online here.
A popular snack in Korea, ddeok gangjeong is a filling and spicy treat. It’s made with garaeddeok (rice tube cake) that’s sliced down to bite-sized chunks, pan-fried, then dressed with a sticky, tangy sauce. The pan-frying gives the rice cakes a crackly outside with a soft and chewy inside. The sauce is a deliciously sweet and spicy combo that will satisfy any mid-afternoon craving.
Ddeok gangjeong is often topped with chopped peanuts for an added crunch. It's a quick dish that takes less than half an hour and makes a perfect accompaniment for cocktails (anjoo), a simple dinner, or appetizer. For festive hors d'oeuvres, try putting them on skewers. Make sure to serve them warm or right out of the pan; the rice cakes will harden as they cool.
Buy Korean ingredients online here.
INGREDIENTS
shop these ingredients online »test | ||
| 1 lb 2 oz | Sticky Rice Cake Tube, Garaeddeok 가래떡 | |
| 2⅔ tbs | Potato Starch 감자 전분 (optional) | |
| 3 tbs | Vegetable Oil 식용유 | |
for the sauce | ||
| 3 tbs | Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) 고추장 | |
| 1 tsp | Soy Sauce (regular) 왜간장 | |
| 1½ tbs | Sugar 설탕 | |
| 3 tbs | Ketchup 케첩 | |
| 2 tbs | Mul Yeot / Malt (Maltose) Syrup 물엿 (optional, use more sugar instead or use other fruit syrup) | |
| ⅛ | Onion (Medium) 양파 | |
| 2 tsp | Garlic (minced) 다진 마늘 | |
| 5 tbs | Water 물 | |
| 1½ tsp | Chopped peanuts 다진 땅콩 (or your favorite nut, coarsely chopped) | |
| 1½ tsp | Chopped walnuts 다진 호두 (or your favorite nut, coarsely chopped) | |
Skewers (optional) if you want to serve the rice cake on skewers.
Optional Ingredients and Substitutions
Potato starch: Potato starch on the rice cake gives crispier texture and helps the sauce stick to the rice cake better. You can use regular flour instead or omit if you don’t have potato starch.
Simple version of the sauce: You can omit onion, garlic and malt syrup (increase the amount of sugar instead) if they are not available.
More questions? Please leave your questions below in the comments section. We will do our best to answer as soon as we can.
instructions |
photos |
summary |
|---|---|---|
Ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions are for the default serving size. |
Click to enlarge photos. |
Ingredient amounts in the recipe summary are for the default serving size. |
1. Cut rice cakeIf the rice cake is frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight or defrost in the microwave (make sure it’s covered). Cut the rice cake into 1 inch lengths. |
 |
1
Cut into 1” |
2. Dredge in potato starch (optional)Lightly dredge the rice cakes in potato starch. Potato starch on the rice cake gives a crispier texture and helps the sauce stick to the rice cake better. You can use regular flour instead or omit if you don’t have potato starch. |
 |
2
Dredge in potato starch |
3. Make the sauceIn a food processor, blend together: ⅛ onion, 3 tablespoons of hot pepper paste, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1½ tablespoon of sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of mulyeot (malt syrup), 2 teaspoon of minced garlic and 5 tablespoons of water. Set it aside. |
 |
3
Blend
|
4. Pan-fry rice cakesLightly coat a frying pan with vegetable oil and add rice cake. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden. Do not add too much oil or make the pan really hot because rice cake can pop. If you are not eating right away, cook for less time. Crispy ones can get too hard when cooled. |
 |
4
Dry rice cakes Lightly coat pan with oil Add rice cakes Panfry Med Heat until golden |
5. DrainTransfer pan-fried (or deep-fried) rice cake onto paper towel or a strainer to drain fat. |
 |
5
Drain fat |
6. Cook sauceCook the sauce in a non-stick pan and simmer it on low heat for about 5 minutes or until it starts to boil. |
 |
6
Cook sauce
or until boiling |
7. Mix sauce with rice cakeAdd the rice cake to the sauce and quickly mix. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle chopped peanuts and walnuts and mix well. |
 |
7
Add rice cake to sauce Mix Sprinkle
Mix |
8. ServeServe hot on a plate. Enjoy! |
 |
8
Serve hot Enjoy |
9. Serve (alternative)You can also skewer the rice cake to serve is as a fun snack or hors d’oeuvres. |
 |
9
|
5 min