Korean Pan-Fried Rice Cakes with Sweet Butter Glaze

The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You gotta get the sealing ring on just right so your cooker can do its thing. That pressure build is where all the delicious happens, trust me.

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You spot the steam puffing out a little around the edges, and your stomach starts growling louder. The broth depth in this dish gets real good with all the soy sauce and sweet honey melding together under pressure.

When that slow release finally happens, you open the valve and catch the scent wafting out. The tender pull of that beef paired with soft rice cakes makes your mouth water like crazy.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

• You get dinner ready way faster than usual.
• The sealing ring keeps heat and moisture where they belong for juicy results.
• Pressure build makes meat super tender in no time at all.
• You save energy since cooking happens quicker.
• Flavors get locked in deep because nothing escapes during cooking.

The Complete Shopping Rundown

You gonna wanna grab 1 pound of rice cake for tteokbokki. If frozen, just soak them in cold water first to defrost. It helps a lot.

1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil are key for tossing hot rice cakes after cooking. For your protein, get about half a pound of beef like bottom round, sirloin, or chuck. Cutting it thin against the grain works best.

Don’t forget 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 cloves garlic minced. That’s your marinade base.

Grab 4 ounces oyster mushrooms (fresh or dried), half a yellow onion sliced thin, and 1 small carrot sliced on the diagonal. Last, you need 2 green onions or half a Korean leek cut into chunks. Korean leeks are huge but you can use green onions as a substitute if needed.

The Exact Process From Start to Finish

Step 1: Soak your rice cakes in cold water for 10 minutes if frozen. This softens them up before cooking.

Step 2: Boil the rice cakes in water for 2 to 3 minutes until soft through. No rinsing after draining! This keeps the starch to help sauce stick.

Step 3: While still hot, toss rice cakes in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Set them aside.

Step 4: Cut beef into ¼ inch thin strips against the grain or grab pre-cut bulgogi beef if you find it.

Step 5: Mix your marinade ingredients - soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, honey, garlic - then marinade the beef while prepping veggies.

Step 6: Slice carrot thin on a diagonal to match rice cake size, tear oyster mushrooms by hand, slice onion thin, and cut your green onions or Korean leek.

Step 7: Heat a pan over medium-high and saute beef strips for 2 to 3 minutes until starting to brown.

Step 8: Add carrots, onions, mushrooms to the beef and saute 2-3 more minutes. Toss in rice cakes and leeks or green onions, stir frying 5 to 6 minutes until everything's cooked and nicely coated in sauce. Swirl in some honey and sesame oil right before serving, then sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

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Valve Hacks You Need to Know

• Got no patience? Quick release will speed things up but must be done carefully to avoid hot steam mishaps.
• Slow release is your friend for tender pull on beef without drying out.
• If you wanna add more broth depth, pour a bit of beef broth before sealing the lid.
• Keep that sealing ring clean and replace if worn to keep pressure steady every time.
• After cooking, remove the valve to speed natural release a little if you're in a hurry but want to keep flavors intact.

When You Finally Get to Eat

You scoop up the glistening rice cakes with beef and veggies, and the first bite hits the spot, chewy and saucy all at once. The soy sauce mix is savory but just sweet enough with a honey swirl that keeps you hooked.

The tender beef gives a satisfying pull that breaks apart easy but still feels hearty. You can sense each bite is bursting with rich flavor, and the veggies add a fresh crunch contrast.

Every mouthful makes you wanna dig in for more, and that dduk will keep you licking your lips since it’s perfectly coated with that sticky, flavorful glaze. This dish feels like a warm hug in food form.

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How to Store This for Later

If you got leftovers, pop them into an airtight container and stash in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind rice cakes will harden once cold.

To reheat, use a pan on medium-low with a couple tablespoons water. Stir often so the rice cakes reabsorb moisture nicely without getting tough.

Microwaving works for fast reheats but make sure to add water and reheat in short bursts. Otherwise, the dduk gets really hard once it cools which is kinda a bummer.

Everything Else You Wondered About

• Can I use other proteins? Totally! Chicken, pork, tofu, or seafood works great. Adjust cook time per meat.
• What if I can’t find Korean leeks? Green onions are a fine substitute and easy to get anywhere.
• Do I have to use rice wine? You can skip it but it adds nice acidity that brightens the dish.
• Can I make this vegan? Just swap beef for tofu and skip honey or use maple syrup.
• Why not rinse rice cakes after boiling? Rinsing washes away the starch that helps the sauce stick. So just drain and toss immediately.
• How thick should beef slices be? Aim for about ¼ inch thick for fast cooking and tender pull.

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Rice Cake Stir Fry with Soy Sauce (Gungjung Tteokbokki)

Chewy rice cakes, tender beef, and fresh vegetables stir-fried in a savory soy-based sauce. Gungjung Tteokbokki is a non-spicy royal court variation that’s hearty, subtly sweet, and packed with umami — perfect for both snacking and main meals.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2 people

Calories 1089 kcal

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 1 lb Rice cake for tteokbokki
• 1 tablespoon Soy sauce for rice cake seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil for rice cake seasoning
• 0.5 lb Beef chuck, sirloin, or bottom round, cut into thin strips
• 1.5 tablespoon Soy sauce for beef marinade
• 1 tablespoon Rice wine
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil for beef marinade
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 4 oz Oyster mushrooms torn into strips
• 0.5 Yellow onion sliced
• 1 small Carrot sliced diagonally
• 2 Green onions or ½ Korean leek, cut into chunks
• Honey swirl before serving (optional)
• Sesame oil swirl before serving (optional)
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Soak rice cakes in cold water for 10 minutes if frozen.
• Boil rice cakes for 2-3 minutes until soft. Drain and do not rinse.
• Toss hot rice cakes in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Set aside.
• Cut beef into thin strips about ¼ inch thick against the grain.
• Combine soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, honey, garlic. Marinate beef in the sauce.
• Prep vegetables: tear mushrooms, slice carrot and onion, chop green onions or leeks.
• Heat pan, sauté beef for 2–3 minutes until browning.
• Add carrots, onion, mushrooms; sauté 2–3 minutes more.
• Add rice cakes and green onions/leeks. Stir-fry 5–6 minutes until everything is evenly coated.
• Swirl in honey and sesame oil before serving.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds on top for garnish.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with water for best texture.