Clockwise from prime left: Cook dinner-tok Tteokbokki, Bibigo Cup Tteokbokki, Pulmuone Woori Dongnae Tteokbokki, Sagua Tteokbokki and Seokgwan-dong Rose Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
A quiet revolution is sweeping by means of one among Korea’s most iconic avenue meals: tteokbokki.
As soon as the beloved snack of schoolgirls and the younger at coronary heart, these chewy rice truffles drenched in candy and spicy sauce have transcended their avenue meals origins, due to the relentless innovation of the native meal equipment trade.
At an E-mart outlet in central Seoul, Korea’s largest low cost retailer chain, which this reporter visited on Aug. 27, there have been over 20 totally different kinds of ready-to-make tteokbokki packages on the refrigerated cabinets. Nevertheless, this choice barely scratches the floor of the huge and rising wealth of choices obtainable through e-commerce platforms like Coupang, SSG and Market Kurly. A fair larger assortment may be discovered off these main platforms, offered on the makers’ web sites.
The rise of immediate — or near-instant — tteokbokki has additionally unlocked a brand new world of flavors and varieties, providing choices that go far past the normal style. Tteokbokki with seafood or beef? Stir-fried in royal court docket type or simmered in a brothy sauce? Or maybe sauce variations with black pepper, Chinese language mala, cheese or creamy rose flavors? You title it.
Im Eun-jin, 29, is loving this growth. She used to assume the umami taste of restaurant-served tteokbokki was too tough to duplicate at house. “However with meal equipment tteokbokki, I can simply make it at house,” she mentioned. “I all the time have some in my fridge.”
To assist shoppers navigate the huge choices, The Korea Herald has performed a style take a look at of 5 common tteokbokki kits. These kits have been both top-rated on Coupang or had gone viral on-line in Korea.
Meal equipment elements of Cook dinner-tok Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
1. Cook dinner-tok Tteokbokki (Unique)
Meal equipment elements: Wheat flour rice truffles, purple scorching sauce, fried fish truffles, black candy sauce
Value: 12,700 gained for 2 (on Coupang)
Cook dinner-tok Tteokbokki’s unique taste, launched in 2007 as Korea’s first tteokbokki meal equipment, goals to duplicate the candy and umami style of tteokbokki historically offered exterior colleges, evoking nostalgia for a lot of in Korea.
The model turned higher identified internationally after being featured within the second season of BTS actuality present “Within the Soop.”
You may modify the quantity of black candy sauce to style, although it is really useful to start out with one-third of the package deal. This sweetener performs an important position in shaping your general impression of the dish.
Cook dinner-tok Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
Opinions:
“The model title says all of it. It tastes similar to the tteokbokki that was once offered in entrance of colleges. The spiciness, rice cake, fish cake and sauce have been all harmonious and scrumptious.”
“It was neither candy nor spicy. I discovered it bland.”
“It’s the traditional tteokbokki style everyone knows.”
“The fish truffles could possibly be smaller in measurement.”
Meal equipment elements of Bibigo Cup Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
2. Bibigo Cup Tteokbokki (Candy & spicy)
Meal equipment elements: Rice truffles, seasoning packet
Value: 3,900 gained (at CU comfort retailer)
This product, made by CJ CheilJedang’s globally acknowledged Korean meals model Bibigo, is as simple to organize as immediate noodles — simply add scorching water and microwave it.
Nevertheless, the sauce can simply overflow within the microwave, so it’s finest to remain shut whereas making ready it — this occurred to us!
The portion measurement is ideal for one individual, making it best for single-person households in addition to a handy pantry staple, since it may be saved at room temperature.
Bibigo Cup Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
Opinions:
“The visuals have been off-putting, but it surely tasted higher than anticipated. The rice cake texture was chewy, and the comfort is unbeatable.”
“It seemed terrible however was surprisingly first rate. The rice truffles have been small, and the sauce was candy — nice as a snack.”
“Simply typical comfort retailer meals. Low high quality.”
“Tastes higher than it seems to be. The rice truffles didn’t appear to have absorbed the sauce, but it surely turned out OK as a result of the rice truffles themselves have been salty.”
Meal equipment elements of Pulmuone Woori Dongnae Tteokbokki ( Pulmuone)
3. Pulmuone Woori Dongnae Tteokbokki (Black bean paste)
Meal equipment elements: Wheat flour rice truffles, seasoning packet
Value: 4,730 gained (on Coupang)
For these considerably much less succesful in the case of spicy meals, this tteokbokki is a superb choice. Drawing inspiration from jajangmyeon — noodles in black bean sauce, a beloved dish in Korean delicacies that holds a particular place throughout vital occasions like graduations, examination days and birthdays — this model removes the same old spicy gochujang sauce and as an alternative provides a pleasant candy and savory twist.
The chewy wheat flour rice truffles with wealthy black bean sauce create a dish that is flavorful, but gentle.
This tteokbokki has change into notably common with kids.
Pulmuone Woori Dongnae Tteokbokki ( Pulmuone)
Opinions:
“Good should you’re craving each Chapagetti (black bean-flavored ramyeon) and tteokbokki.”
“Too candy, however good when paired with spicy tteokbokki.”
“In case you love black bean sauce, that is your go-to. I wager youngsters would adore it.”
“The sauce didn’t appear to soak into the rice cake.”
“It seems like consuming immediate black bean sauce with rice truffles — doesn’t fairly work.”
Meal equipment elements of Sagua Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
4. Sagua Tteokbokki (Spicy)
Meal equipment elements: Wheat flour rice truffles, spicy sauce, fish truffles, broth
Value: 7,500 gained (on Naver Purchasing)
This product went viral in 2020 because the “tteokbokki meal equipment that takes three months to be delivered however is well worth the wait.”
At this time, it is a lot simpler to acquire, due to a fast freezing facility and improved logistics, in accordance with the product maker’s weblog.
Sarcastically, regardless of its title, Sagua — “apple” in Korean — comprises no apple in any respect.
The product is marketed as a tteokbokki recipe created particularly for the CEO’s spouse, a devoted tteokbokki fanatic, and it proudly claims to be freed from MSG. It additionally consists of a wide range of fish truffles, including to its enchantment.
Sagua Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
Opinions:
“Spicy!!!”
“Nice for Koreans who love spicy meals — commonplace tteokbokki at its finest. A bit too spicy for teenagers.”
“Has a refreshing aftertaste.”
“Cherished the thick, chewy rice truffles.”
“Fluffiest rice cake of the bunch! Additionally the spiciest — really useful for many who want traditional, much less candy tteokbokki.”
“Overhyped however first rate.”
Meal equipment elements of rose Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
5. Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki (Rose)
Meal equipment elements: Cheese-filled wheat flour rice truffles, noodle-type lengthy wheat flour rice truffles, fish truffles, spicy rose sauce
Value: 6,660 gained (on Coupang)
In case you assume meal kits lack the number of components usually present in common tteokbokki chains, Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki would possibly change your thoughts.
Rose sauce, a latest favourite in Korea, is made by mixing marinara sauce with cream and milk, with gochujang added for a spicy kick.
To prepare dinner this product, you’ll want to organize 200 milliliters of milk individually, as it isn’t included within the meal equipment.
Rose Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki (The Korea Herald)
Opinions:
“The creamy sauce is a crowd-pleaser, however the taste can get tiresome shortly. The fish truffles have been nice although.”
“Candy and wealthy. I appreciated it probably the most however bought uninterested in consuming it quick.”
“The 2 sorts of rice truffles balanced the spiciness and creaminess nicely.”
“I’d purchase it once more. Not too creamy and well-balanced.”
The taste-testers forged their votes for his or her favourite among the many 5 merchandise. The rose-flavored Seokgwan-dong Tteokbokki emerged because the best choice with six votes, adopted by the spicy Sagua Tteokbokki with 5 votes.
With such various choices obtainable, which meal equipment will you select to fulfill your tteokbokki cravings?
A department of E-mart, Korea’s largest low cost retailer chain, sells over 20 totally different tteokbokki meal kits, Aug. 27. (The Korea Herald)